The Cruise of the Nonsuch Buccaneer

THE CRUISE OF

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THE "NONSUCH

BUCCANEER

BY

HARRY COLLINGWOOD

AUTHOR OP
"DICK LESLIE'S LUCK," "THE PIRATE SLAVER," "TWO GALLANT SONS OF DEVON," ETC.

ILLUSTRATED BY JOHN WILLIAMSON.

LONDON :

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE

NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C. ; 43, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, E.Ci

BRIGHTON : 129, NORTH STREET
NEW YORK: 8. S. GORHAM

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGB

I. HOW GEORGE ST. LEGER RETURNED FROM FOREIGN

PARTS

7

II. HOW ROBERT DYER BROUGHT NEWS OF DISASTER 23

III. HOW OLD SIMON RADLETT MADE A CERTAIN PRO-
POSITION TO GEORGE 40

IV. HOW THE " NONSUCH " CAME TO TRINIDAD AND WAS

CAREENED THERE 55

V. HOW THEY CAPTURED THE ^ SANTA MARIA " AT
MARGARITA

VI. HOW THEY CAME TO A DESERT ISLAND AND BURIED

77

THEIR TREASURE 94

VII. HOW THEY CAME TO SAN JUAN DE ULUA - *- III

VIII. HOW GEORGE PROCEEDED TO DEAL WITH THE

AUTHORITIES OF SAN JUAN - 127

IX. HOW GEORGE VISITED THE HOLY INQUISITION AT

SAN JUAN 144

X. HOW THE PLATE SHIPS SOUGHT TO ESCAPE FROM

SAN JUAN l6l

XI. HOW THEY EMPTIED THE STRONG ROOMS OF THE

TWELVE PLATE SHIPS I79

XII. HOW THEY LOST TWO MEN, AND ENCOUNTERED A

HURRICANE

197

XIII. HOW THE ENGLISHMEN TOOK NOMBRE DE DIOS - 215

vi CONTENTS

XIV. HOW THE GOVERNOR OF PANAMA TREATED DON

SEBASTIAN'S REQUEST 235

XV. HOW THE ENGLISHMEN MARCHED ACROSS THE

ISTHMUS TO PANAMA 253

XVI. HOW THEY TOOK THE GREAT GALLEON - - 268

XVII. HOW THEY FOUGHT THE GALLEY - - - 285

XVIII. HOW GEORGE FOUND HIS BROTHER - • - 399

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THE CRUISE
OF THE "NONSUCH"

CHAPTER 1

How George St. Leger Returned from Foreign Parts

The time was mid-afternoon, the date was January the gth,
in the year of our Lord 1569 ; and the good town of Plymouth
was basking in the hazy sunlight and mild temperature of one
of those delightful days that occasionally visit the metropolis
of the West Country, even in mid-winter, under the beneficent
influence of the Gulf Stream combined with a soft but enduring
breeze from the south south-east charged with warm air from
the Saharan desert and the Mediterranean.

So mild and genial was the weather that certain lads, imbued
with that spirit of lawlessness and adventure which seems
inherent in the nature of the young Briton, had conspired
together to defy the authority of their schoolmaster by playing
truant from afternoon school and going to bathe in Firestone
Bay. And it was while these lads were dressing, after revelling
in their stolen enjoyment, that their attention was attracted
by the appearance of a tall ship gliding up the Sound before
the soft breathing of the languid breeze.

That she was a foreign-going ship was evident at a glance,
first from her size, and, secondly, from the whiteness ot her

7

8 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

canvas, bleached by long exposure to a southern sun ; and as
she drew nearer, the display of flags and pennons which she
made, and the sounds of trumpet, fife, hautboy, and drum
which floated down the wind from her seemed to indicate
that her captain regarded his safe arrival in English waters
as something in the nature of a triumph.

By the time that she had arrived abreast of Picklecombe
Point the bathers had completely resumed their clothing and,
having climbed to the highest point within easy reach, now
stood interestedly watching the slow approach of the ship, her
progress under the impulse of the gentle breeze being greatly
retarded by the ebb tide. Speculation was rife among the
little group of boys upon the question of the ship's identity,
some maintaining that she must necessarily be a Plymouther,
otherwise what was she doing there, while others, for no
very clearly defined reason, expressed the contrary opinion.

At length one of the party who had been intently regarding
the craft for several minutes, suddenly flung his cap into the
air, caught it as it fell, and exclaimed excitedly as he replaced
it on his head :

" I know her, I du ; 'tis my Uncle Marshall's Bonaventure,

whoam from the Mediterranean and Spain ; I'm off to tell

my uncle. Twas only yesterday that I heard him say he'd

give a noble to know that the Bonaventure had escaped the

Spaniards ; and a noble will pay me well for the flogging that

I shall get from old Sir John, if Uncle Richard tells him that

I played truant to go bathing But I don't believe he will ;

he'll be so mighty pleased to hear about the Bonaventure that

he'll forget to ask how I come to be to Firestone Bay instead

of to schule."

And the exultant lad dashed away toward Stonehouse,

accompanied by his companions, each of whom was instantly
ready to help with suggestions as to the spending of the
prospective noble.
The historian of the period has omitted to record whether

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 9

that worthy, Mr. Richard Marshall, one of the most thriving
merchants of Plymouth, was as good as his word in the matter
of the promised noble ; but probably he was, for shortly
after the arrival of his nephew with the momentous news,
the good man emerged from his house, smiling and rubbing
his hands with satisfaction, and made the best of his way
to the wharf in Stonehouse Pool, alongside which he knew
that the Bonaventure would moor, and was there speedily
joined by quite a little crowd of other people who were all
more or less intimately interested in the ship and her crew,
and who had been brought to the spot by the rapid spread
of the news that the Bonaventure was approaching.

To the impatient watchers it seemed an age before the
ship hove in sight at the mouth of the Pool. At length,
however, as the sun dipped behind the wooded slopes across
the water toward Millbrook, a ship's spritsail and sprit topsail,
with a long pennon streaming from the head of the mast
which supported the latter, crept slowly into view beyond
Devil's Point, to the accompaniment of a general shout of
(< There a be ! " from the waiting crowd, and a minute later
the entire ship stood revealed, heading up the Pool under all
sail, to the impulse of the dying breeze which was by this
time so faint that the white canvas of the approaching craft
scarcely strained at all upon its sheets and yards.

For the period, the Bonaventure was a ship of considerable
size, her registered measurement being one hundred and
twenty-seven tons. She was practically new, the voyage
which she was now completing being only her second. Like
other ships of her size and time, she was very beamy, with
rounded sides that tumbled home to a degree that in these
days would be regarded as preposterous. She carried the
usual fore and after castles, the latter surmounting the after
extremity of her lofty poop. She was rigged with three
masts in addition to the short spar which reared itself fiom
the outer extremity of her bowsprit, and upon which the

10 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

sprit topsail was set, the fore and main masts spreading
courses, topsails, and what was then quite an innovation —
topgallant sails, while the mizen spread a lateen-shaped sail
stretched along a sloping yard suspended just beneath the
top, in the position occupied m these days by the cross-jack.
She was armed with twenty-two cannon of various sizes and
descriptions, and she mustered a crew of fifty-six men and
boys, all told. Her hull was painted a rich orange-brown
colour down to a little above the water-line, beneath which
ran a narrow black stripe right round her hull, dividing the
brown colour of her topsides from her white-painted bottom
■which, by the way, was now almost hidden by a rank growth
of green weed. She carried one large poop lantern, and
displayed from her flagstaff the red cross of St. George, while
from her fore and main topgallant-mastheads, from the peak
of her mizen, and from the head of her sprit-topmast lazily
waved other flags and pennons. As she swung into view
round Devil's Point the blare of trumpets and the roll of
drums reached the ears of the crowd which awaited her arrival ;
but these sounds presently ceased as her crew proceeded to
brail up and furl sail after sail ; and some ten minutes later,
scarcely stemming the outgoing tide, she drifted slowly in
toward her berth alongside the wharf. Ropes were thrown,
great hawsers were hauled ashore and made fast to sturdy
bollards, fenders were dropped overside, and the Bonaventure
was very smartly secured abreast the warehouse which was
destined to receive her cargo.

Then, when the ship had been securely moored, fore and
aft, her gangway was thrown open, a gang plank was run out
from the deck to the wharf, and Mr. Richard Marshall, her
owner, stepped on board and advanced with outstretched
hand toward a short, stout, grey-haired man who had hitherto
occupied a conspicuous position on the poop, but who now
descended the poop ladder with some difficulty and hobbled
towards the gangway.

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " it

The contrast between the two men was great in every way,
except perhaps in the matter of age, for both were on the
shady side of fifty ; but while one of them, Mr. Richard Mar-
shall, merchant and shipowner, to wit, was still hale and
hearty, carrying himself as straight and upright as though
he were still in the prime of early manhood, the other, who
was none other than John Burroughs, the captain of the
Bonaventure, moved stiffly and limped painfully as a result
of many wounds received during his forty years of seafaring
life, coupled with a rapidly increasing tendency to suffer
from severe attacks of rheumatism. And they differed in
dress as greatly as in their personal appearance ; for while
the merchant was soberly if not somewhat sombrely garbed
in dark brown broadcloth, with a soft, broad brimmed felt
hat to match, the captain (in rank defiance of the sumptuary
laws then existing) sported tiunk hosen of pale pink satin,
a richly embroidered and padded satin doublet of the same
hue, confined at the waist by a belt of green satin heavily
broidered with gold thread, from which depended on one
side a long rapier and on the other a wicked-looking Venetian
dagger with jewelled hilt and sheath, while, surmounting his
grizzled and rather scanty locks, he wore, jauntily set on
one side, a Venetian cap of green velvet adorned with a large
gold and cameo brooch which secured a long green feather
drooping gracefully over the wearer's left shoulder. But let
not the unsophisticated reader imagine, in the innocence
of his heart, that the garb above described was that usually
affected by mariners of the Elizabethan period, while at sea.
It was not. But they frequently displayed a weakness for
showy dress while in port, and especially when about to go
ashore for the first time after the termination of a voyage.

" \Yelcome home again, Cap'n John," exclaimed Marshall,
grasping the hand of the sailor and wringing it so heartily
that poor Burroughs winced at the pain of his rheumatism-
racked wrist and shoulder. " I am glad to see you safely

12 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

back, for I was beginning to feel a bit uneasy lest the King
of Spain had caught you in his embargo."

" Iss, fegs ; and so mun very nearly did," answered the
captain ; " indeed, if it hadn't ha' been for young Garge
St. Leger — who, bein' out of his time, I've made pilot in
place of poor Matthews, who was killed in a bout \\ i* the Bar-
bary rovers on our outward voyage he'd ha' had us, sure
as pigs baint nightingales. But Garge have got the fiend's
own gift for tongues and languages, and the night avore we
sailed he happened to be ashore lookin' round Santander,
and while he were standin' on one side of a pillar in a church
he heard two Spanishers on t'other side of that there same
pillar talkin* about the embargo that King Philip was goin'
to declare again* the English at midnight that very night as
ever was. Like a good boy, Garge waited until the two
Spanishers had left the church, and then corned straight down
aboard and told me what he'd heard. At first I didn't put
very much faith in the yarn, I'll own to't, but that there
Garge so pestered and worrited me that at last I let mun
have mun's way ; and ten minutes afore midnight the Bona-
venture was under way and standin' out o' the harbour. We
managed to get out without bein' fired upon by the batteries.
But if you'll believe me, sir, they sent a galley out a'ter us,
and if it hadn't ha' happened that the wind was blowin' fresh
from about west, and a nasty lump of a beam sea runnin',
dang my ugly buttons if that galley wouldn't ha' had us !
But the galley rolled so heavy that they couldn't use their
oars to advantage, while the Bonaventure is so fast as any
dolphin with a beam wind and enough of it to make us furl
our topgallants ; so we got away."

" And a very smart piece of work, too, apparently," said
Mr. Marshall. " I must not forget to thank George St, Leger
for his share in it. Has your voyage been a success, Captain ? "

" So, so ; I don't think you'll find much to complain about
"'hen we comes to go into the figures," answered Burroughs.

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 13

" We had a bit of a brush wi' the rovers, who corned out
against us in three ships, during our outward voyage, but we
beat 'em off wi' the loss of only one man — poor Matthews,
as I mentioned just now since when we've had no call to
fire a single shot."

" Excellent, excellent ! " commented the merchant, rubbing
his hands. " Of course I am very sorry to learn that Matthews
was slain ; but these things will happen at sea from time to
time. Well, to-morrow we will have the hatches off and
begin discharging. While that is proceeding I must consider
what next to do with the ship ; for it will be useless to think
of further trade with the Mediterranean while the Spanish
embargo lasts, and Heaven only knows how long that will
be."

"Ay," assented Burroughs. " 'T is a pity that her Grace
up to Whitehall can't make up her mind one way or t'other
about this here Spanish business ; whether she'll be friends
wi' Philip, or will fight mun. For all this here shilly-shallyin',
first one way and then t'other, be terrible upsettin' to folks
like we. But there, what be I grumblin' about ? T wont
make a mort o' difference to me, because I've made up my
mind as it's time for me to knock off the sea and settle down
snug and comfortable ashore for the rest of my days. I be
that bad wi* the rheumatics that I've got to get the cabin
boy to help me put on my clothes, and when there be a sea
runnin' and the ship do roll a bit I can't sleep for the pain
in my j'ints. So, Mr. Marshall, I may 's well give 'e notice,
here and now, so's you'll ha' plenty of time to look about
'e for another cap'n."

" Dear me, dear me ! I am very sorry to hear that, Cap'n,"
exclaimed Mr. Marshall. " But/' he continued, " ever since
the declaration of the embargo I have been thinking what I
would do with the Bonaveniare in the event of her escaping
from the Spaniards, and I had almost decided to lay her up

until the dispute is settled one way or the other. Now if you

14 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

Jf

stay ashore until that time arrives, and take care of yourself,
perhaps you will find yourself quite able to take command
of her again when she next goes to sea.'*

" No," asserted Burroughs decisively ; " I ha' made up my
mind, and I'll stick to it. The sea's no place for a man afflicted
as I be. Besides, I ha' done very well in the matter o' they
private ventures that you've allowed me to engage in ; there's
a very tidy sum o' money standin' to my credit in Exeter
Bank, and there's neither chick nor child to use it a'ter I be
gone, so I might so well enjoy it and be comfortable for the
rest o' my days, and at the same time make way for a younger
man. Now, there be Garge," he continued, lowering his
tone. " T is true that he be but a lad ; but he'm a sailor to
the tips of his fingers ; he'm so good a seaman and navigator
as I be ; he've a got coolness and courage when they be most
needed; he knoweth how to handle a crew; he've got the
gift of tongues ; and — he'm a gentleman, which is a danged
sight more than I be. You might do a mort worse, Mr.
Marshall, than give he the Bonaventure when next you sends
her to sea."

" H'm ! do you really think so ? " returned the merchant.

" He is very young, you know, Captain ; too young, I think,

to bear the responsibility attending the command of such a

ship as the Bonaventure. But— well, I will think it over.

Your recommendation of course will carry very great weight
with me."

" Ay, and so't ought to," retorted the blunt spoken old

skipper. " I've served you new a matter of over thirty years,

and you've never yet had to find fault wi' my judgment.

And you won't find it wrong either in that there matter o'
Garge."

After which the subject was dropped, and the pair proceeded
to the discussion of various matters which have no bearing
upon the present history.

Meanwhile, during the progress of the above recorded

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 15

conversation, the crew, having completed the mooring of the
ship, proceeded to furl the sails which had been merely hauled
down or clewed up as the craft approached the wharf ; and
when this job had been performed to the satisfaction of a tall,
strapping young fellow who stood upon the poop supervising
operations, the mariners laid down from aloft and, the busi-
ness of the ship being over for the day, were dismissed from
duty. As every man aboard the Bonaventure happened to
call Plymouth <f home," this meant on their part a general
swarming ashore to join the relatives and friends who patiently
awaited them on the wharf ; whereupon the little crowd
quickly melted away.

Then, and not until then, the tall, strapping young fellow
upon the poop familiarly referred to by Captain Burroughs
as " Garge," and henceforth to be known to us as George
St. Leger and the hero of the moving story which the writer
proposes to set forth in the following pages — descended to

the main deck, uttered a word or two of greeting and caution
to the two sturdy shipkeepers who had already come on
board to take care of ship and cargo during the absence of the
crew, and with quick, springy step, strode to the gang-plank,
and so to the wharf, whither the captain, in Mr. Marshall's
company, had preceded him.

As he strode along the wharf, with that slight suggestion
of a roll in his gait which marks the man whose feet have been
long accustomed to the feel of a heaving deck, he cast a quick,
eager, recognising glance at the varied features of the scene
around him, his somewhat striking countenance lighting up
as he noted the familiar details of the long line of quaint
warehouses which bordered the wharf, the coasters which
were moored ahead and astern of the Bonaventure, the fishing
craft grounded upon the mud higher up the creek, the well
remembered houses of various friends dotted about here and
there, the heights of Mount Edgcumbe shadowy and mysterious
in the deepening twilight, and the slopes of Mount Wise across

16 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

the water ; and a joyous smile irradiated his features as his
gaze settled upon a small but elegant cottage, of the kind now
known as a bungalow, standing in the midst of a large, beauti-
fully kept garden, situated upon the very extremity of the
Mount and commanding an uninterrupted view of the Sound.
For in that cottage, from three windows of which beamed
welcoming lights, he knew that his mother, and perchance
his elder brother Hubert, awaited his coming. For a moment
he paused, gazing lovingly at the lights, then, striding on
again, he quickly reached the end of the wharf and, hurrying
down the ferry steps, sprang into a boat which he found
lying alongside.

" So you'm back again all safe, Mr. Garge, sir," exclaimed
the occupant of the boat as he threw out an oar to bear the
craft off from the wharf wall, while young St. Leger seated
himself in the stern sheets. " I been here waitin' for 'e for
the last hour or more. The mistress seed the ship a comin'
in, and knowed her, and her says to me ' Tom, the Bona-
venture be whoam again. Now, you go down and take the
boat and go across to the wharf, for Master Garge '11 be in a
hurry to come over, and maybe the wherry won't be there
just when he's ready to come ; so you go over and wait for
un.' And here I be. Welcome home again, sir."

" Thanks, Tom," answered St. Leger, " I did not recognise
you for the moment. And how is my mother ? "

" She's just about as well as can be reasonably expected,
sir, considerin' the way that she's been worritin' about you and
Mr. Hubert 'specially 'bout you, sir, since the news of the
King of Spain's embargo have been made known/' answered
the man Tom, who was in fact the gardener and general
handy man at The Nest, as Mrs. St. Leger's cottage was
named.

" Poor dear soul/' murmured George ; " she will fret herself
to death over Hu and me, before all's done, I am afraid. So
Captain Hawkins has not yet returned, Tom ? "

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 17

" Not yet a bain't, sir. But he've only been gone a matter
o' fifteen months ; and 'tis only a year since mun sailed
from the Guinea coast for the Indies, so 'tis a bit early yet
to be expectin' mun back. When he and Franky Drake du
get over there a spoilin' the Egyptians, as one might say,
there be no knowin' how long they'll stay there. I don't
look to see 'em back till they m able to come wi' their ships
loaded wi' Spanish gould ; and it'll take a mort o' time to
vind six shiploads o' gould," returned Tom.

" And has no news of the expedition been received since its
arrival on the Spanish Main ? " asked George.

" Not as I've heard of, sir," answered Tom. " The last
news of 'em was that they'd sailed from the Guinea coast some
time about the end of January ; and how that corned I don't
know. But I expect 'tis true, because Madam got it from
Madam Hawkins, who corned over expressly to tell her."

" Ah, well, I suppose we shall hear in God's good time,"
commented George. " Back water with your starboard oar,
Tom, and pull larboard, or you'll smash in the bows of the
boat against the steps. So ! way enough. Haul her to and
let me get out. If I am not mistaken there is my mother
waiting for me under the verandah. Thanks ! Good night,
Tom, and put that in your pocket for luck."

So saying the young man handed Tom a ducat, and sprang
out of the boat, up the landing steps, and made his way rapidly
up the steep garden path toward the house, beneath the
verandah of which a female figure could be dimly seen by
the sheen of the lighted windows. As George St. Leger neared
the brow of the slope upon which The Nest was built, this
same female figure ran down the verandah steps to meet
him, and a moment later he and his mother were locked in
each other's arms.

" My boy, my boy I " crooned Mrs. St. Leger as she nestled
in her son's embrace and tiptoed up to kiss the lips that sought
her own — " welcome home again, a thousand welcomes ! I

B

18 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

saw the ship while she was yet outside St. Nicholas Island
and, with the help of the perspective glass that you brought
me from Genoa, was able to recognise her as the Bonaventure.
And later, when she rounded the point and entered the Pool,
I saw you standing beside Captain Burroughs on the poop,
and so knew that all was well with you. Come in, my dear,
and let me look at you. Supper is all ready and waiting,
and there is a fine big coal fire blazing in the dining-room,
for I knew you would feel the air chilly after that oi the
Mediterranean."

A moment later the pair entered the warm, cosy dining
room, and stood intently regarding each other by the light of
a candelabrum which occupied the centre of the handsomely
appointed table. And while they stand thus, with their
hands upon each other's shoulders, each scrutinising the face
of the other, we may seize the opportunity to make the
acquaintance of both ; for with one of them at least we

purpose to participate in many a strange scene and stirring
adventure in those western Indies, the wonders and fabulous
wealth of which were just beginning to be made known to
Englishmen through that redoubtable rover and slaver,
Captain John Hawkins.

Mrs. St. Leger was a small, somewhat delicate and fragile-
looking woman, just turned forty-six years of age, yet, although
people seemed to age a great deal more quickly in those days
than in these, and although, as the widow of one sailor and the
mother of two others, she had known much anxiety and
mental stress, she retained her youthful appearance to a degree
that was a constant source of wonder to her many friends.
Her form was still as girlish as when Hugh St. Leger proudly
led her to the altar twenty eight years before we make her
acquaintance. Her cheeks were still smooth and round, her
violet eyes, deep and tender, were still bright despite the
many tears which anxiety for her husband and sons had caused
her to shed, and which her bitter grief had evoked when,

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 19

some seven years earlier, the news had been brought to her of
her husband's death while gallantly defending his ship against
an attack by Salee pirates. Her golden brown hair was still
richly luxuriant, and only the most rigorous search would have
revealed the presence of a silver thread here and there. And
lastly, she stood just five feet four inches in her high-heeled
shoes, and in honour of her younger son's safe arrival home
was garbed, in the height of the prevailing mode, in a gown of
brown velvet that exactly matched the colour of her hair,
with long pointed bodice heavily embroidered with gold
thread, voluminous farthingale, long puffed sleeves, ruffed
lace collar, lace stomacher, and lace ruffles at her dainty
wrists.

George St. Leger, aged twenty, stood five feet ten inches
in his stockings, though he did not look anything like that
height, so broad were his shoulders and so robustly built
was his frame. He had not yet nearly attained to his full
growth, and promised, if he went on as he was going, to become
a veritable giant some five or six years hence. He had his
mother's eyes and hair — the latter growing in short soft
ringlets all over his head — and he inherited a fair share also
of his mother's beauty, although in his case it was tempered
and made manly by a very square chin, firm, close set lips,
and a certain suggestion of sternness and even fierceness in
the steady intent gaze of the eyes. He was garbed, like his
captain, in doublet, trunk hose, and cap, but in George's
case the garments were made of good serviceable cloth, d}^ed
a deep indigo blue colour, and his cap — which he now held
in his hand was unadorned with either feather or brooch.
Also, he wore no weapons of any kind save those with which
nature had provided him.

" Egad ! it is good to feel your arms round me, little mother,
and to find myself in this dear old room again," exclaimed
the lad as he gazed down into his mother's loving eyes. " And
you — surely you must have discovered the whereabout of the

ao THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

fount of perpetual youth, for you do not look a day older
than when I went away."

" Nonsense, silly boy/' returned the delighted little lady
as she freed herself from her stalwart son's embrace, " art
going to celebrate thy return home by beginning to pay compli-
ments to thy old mother ? But, indeed," she continued more
seriously, " 't is a wonder that I am not grey headed, for the
anxiety that I have suffered on thy account, George, and that
of thy brother Hubert, has scarcely suffered me to know a
moment's peace/'

" Dear soul alive, I'll warrant that's true," agreed George.
" But, mother, you need never be anxious about me, for
there's not a better or stauncher ship afloat than the Bona-
venture, nor one that carries a finer captain and crew. We've
held our own in many a stiff bout with weather and the enemy,
and can do it again, please God. And as for Hu, I think you
need fear as little for him as for me, for with Hawkins as
admiral, and Frankie Drake as second in command, with six
good ships to back them up, they should be able to sweep the
Spanish Main from end to end. It cannot now be very long
before one gets news of them, and indeed, I confidently look
forward to seeing them come sailing into Plymouth Sound
ere long, loaded down with treasure."

" God grant that it may be so," responded Mrs. St. Leger.
" Yet how can I help being fearful and anxious when I think
of those daring men thousands of miles away from home and
kindred, surrounded as it were by enemies, and with nought
to keep them but their courage and the strength of their own
right arm? And where there is fighting as fighting there
must be when English and Spaniards come face to face-
some must be slain, and why not our Hubert among them ?
For the boy is hot-headed, and brave even to recklessness."

"Ay," assented George, " that's true. But 't is the brave
and reckless ones that stand the best chance in a fight, for
their very courage doth but inspire the enemy with terror, so

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 21

that he turns and flees from them. Besides, our lads are
fighting God's battle against bigotry, idolatry, and fiendish
cruelty as exemplified in the tortures inflicted upon poor
souls in the hellish Inquisition, and 't would be sinful and
a questioning of God's goodness to doubt that He will watch
over them who are waging war upon His enemies."

" Yea, indeed, that is true," agreed Mrs. St. Leger. " And
yet, so weak is our poor human faith that there are times
when my heart is sick with fear as to what may be happening
to my dear ones. But here is Lucy with the supper. Draw
up and sit down, my son. I'll warrant that the enjoyment
of a good roast capon and ale of thy mother's own brewing
will be none the less for the sea fare upon which thou hast
lived of late."

So mother and son sat down to table again for the first time
in many months. And while they ate George regaled his
mother with a recital of some of the most moving happenings
of the voyage just ended, including, naturally, a detailed
account of the brush with Barbary pirates, the death of
Matthews, the pilot, and George's own promotion to the post
thus rendered vacant ; to all of which Mrs. St. Leger listened
eagerly, devouring her son with her eyes as he made play with
capon and pasty and good nut-brown ale, talking betwixt
mouthfuls and eliciting from his absorbed audience of one,
now a little exclamation of horror at the tale of some tragic
occurrence or narrow escape, and anon a hearty laugh at the
recounting of some boyish frolic and escapade in one or another
of the foreign cities visited in the course of the voyage. Supper
over, they drew their chairs up before the fire and continued
their talk, asking and answering questions in that delightfully
inconsequent fashion which is possible only between near and
dear relatives after a long separation. So the time passed
quickly until the hour-glass in the hall marked ten and the
maid brought in candles ; whereupon, before separating
for the night, mother and son knelt down together and rendered

22 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

heartfelt thanks to God for the safe return of the one wanderer

and offered up equally heartfelt petitions for the preservation
of the other, as folk were not ashamed to do in those grand old
days when belief in God's interest in the welfare of His creatures
was a living, virile thing, and when a man's religion was as
intimate a part of his daily life as were his meat and drink.

CHAPTER II

How Robert Dyer Brought News of Disaster

The following morning found George St. Leger early astir ;
for the unloading of the Bonaventure 's rich cargo was now to
begin, and he must be there to superintend and do his share
of the work. And be sure that Mr. Richard Marshall and his
head clerk were also there to take note of each bale and cask
and package as it was hoisted out of the hold and carried
across the wharf into the yawning doorway of the warehouse ;
for while the worthy merchant fully trusted those of his servants
who had proved themselves to be trustworthy, he held that
there was no method of keeping trustworthy servants faithful
so efficacious as personal oversight ; he maintained that the
man who tempted another to dishonesty by throwing oppor-
tunities for dishonesty in his way, was as guilty and as much
to blame as the one who succumbed to temptation ; there-
fore he kept his own soul and the souls of his employes clean
by affording the latter as little occasion as might be for
stumbling. Captain Burroughs — his rheumatism more trouble-
some than ever — was also present, with his hands full of
invoices and bills of lading to which he referred from time to
time for information in reply to some question from Mr.
Marshall ; and soon the winches began to creak and the main
hatch to disgorge its contents, while a crowd of those curious
and idle loafers who, like the poor, are always with us, quickly
gathered upon the wharf to gapingly watch the process of
unloading the cargo.

That process was much more deliberately carried out then

23

24 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

than it is in the present day of hurry and rush, steam and
electricity; therefore it was not until nearly a fortnight had
elapsed that the last bale had been hoisted out of the Bona-
venture's hold and safely stored in Mr. Marshall's warehouse.
Mr. Marshall had definitely announced his intention to lay up
the ship until the Spanish embargo should be raised. And
it was on that same night that, as George and his mother sat
chatting by the fire after supper, the maid Lucy entered the
room with the intimation that a strange, foreign looking
man, apparently a sailor, stood without, craving speech with
Mistress St. Leger.

Mrs. St. Leger's apprehensions with regard to the safety
of Hubert, her elder son, temporarily allayed by George's
optimism, were quick to respond to the slightest hint or
suggestion of disaster ; the mere mention, therefore, of a
man, foreign looking and of sailorly aspect, seeking speech
with her, and especially at such an untimely hour, was suffi-
cient to re awaken ail her unformed fears into full activity.
Her lips blanched and a look of terror leapt into her eyes
as she sprang to her feet, regarding the somewhat stolid Lucy
as though the latter were some apparition of ill omen.

" A sailor, say you, strange, and foreign-looking ? " she
gasped. " What for mercy's sake can such a man want
with me at this time of night ? Did you ask the man his
name ? "

" No, ma'am, I — I — didn't," stammered the maid,
astonished at her mistress's unusual agitation, and afraid
that in omitting to make the enquiry she had been guilty

of some terrible oversight ; " he said he "

But at this point George intervened. To him, as to hi*
mother, the circumstance had at once conveyed a suggestion
of ominousness, a hint of possible evil tidings. Like his
mother, he had risen to his feet as the thought of what this
visit might mean dawned upon him. But, unlike Mrs. St.
Leger, he was accustomed to act quickly in the presence of

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 25

sudden alarms, and now he laid his hand reassuringly upon
his mother's shoulder, as he said soothingly :

" There, there, sit you down, mother ; there's nought to
be frightened about, I'll warrant. Sit you down, again ■
aid I'll go out and speak to the fellow. Maybe 't is but some
sneaking, snivelling beggar-man who, believing you to be
alone here, hopes to terrify you into giving him a substantiaj
aims."

So saying, with another reassuring pat upon his mother's
shoulder, the lad stalked out of the room, pushing the be-
wildered maid before him, and made his way to the front
door, where Mrs. St. Leger, acutely listening, presently heard
him in low converse with the stranger. The conversation
continued for a full ten minutes, and then Mrs. St. Leger's
apprehensions were sharpened by hearing footsteps — her
son's and another's approaching the room in which she sat.
A moment later the door was flung open, and George, pale
beneath his tan, reappeared, ushering in a thick-set, broadly-
built man of medium height, whose long, unkempt hair and
beard, famine sharpened features, and ragged clothing told
an unmistakable tale of privation and suffering.

4t Mother," said George — and as he spoke his lips quivered
slightly in spite of his utmost efforts to keep them steady-
" this man is Robert Dyer of Cawsand, one of the crew of the
Judith, Captain Drake's ship, just arrived from the Indies,
and he brings us bad news not the worst, thank God," he
interjected hurriedly as he noted Mrs. St. Leger's sudden
access of pallor — " but bad enough for all that, and it is
necessary that you should hear it. The expedition has been
a failure, thanks to Spanish treachery ; the loss to the English
has been terribly heavy, and several of the men are missing."

For a few moments the poor distracted mother strove
vainly to speak ; then, clutching George's arm tightly, she
moaned : " Well, why do you pause, George ? Tell me the
worst, I pray you, I can bear it. Do not keep me in suspense.

26 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

Do you wish me to understand that Hubert is killed — or is he
among the missing ? He must be one or the other, I know, or
he would be here now to tell his own story. "

" He is a prisoner in the hands of the Spaniards, mother,"
answered George. " But be of good cheer," he continued, as
Mrs. St. Leger staggered like one struck and he sprang to her
assistance — " sit you down, mother, and let Dyer here tell
us his story. I have only just heard the barest outline t>f it.
Perhaps when we have heard it all it may not seem so bad.
And don't you fear for Hubert, dearie ; 'tis true that the
Spaniards have got him, but they won't dare to hurt him. be
you assured of that ; and likely enough he will have escaped
by this time. Now, Dyer, come to an anchor, man, and tell
us all that befell. And while you're talking we'll have some
supper prepared for you."

" Well, madam, and Mr. Garge, there ain't so very much
to tell," answered Dyer, seating himself in the chair which St.

Leger had indicated. " Of course you do both know — all
Plymouth knows — that we sailed away from this very port a
year ago come the second o* last October. Six ships strong,
we was, well manned, and an abundance o' munitions o* war
of every kind, even to shore artillery. And we had Cap'n
John Hawkins for our admiral and Frank Drake for our pilot,
so what more could a body want ?

cc We made a very good passage to the Canary Islands,
which was our first rondyvoo ; and from there, a'ter we'd
wooded and watered afresh, and set up our rigging, we sailed
for the Guinea coast. On our way there, avore ever we got so
far south as Cape Blanc, we captured a Portingal caravel ;
pickin' up another of ' em a little way to the nor'ard of Cape
Verde. This here last one was called the Grace a Dios, she were
a very fine new ship of a hunderd and fifty ton — and we kept
'em both because, bein' light-draught ships, the admiral knowed
they'd be useful for goin' in over bar on the Coast, where the
mouths of the rivers be always shallow.

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 27

" Well, in due time — I forget the exact date, now — we
arrived on the Coast, and there we stayed for a matter o' three
months, huntin' blacks and Portingals ; goin* into the rivers
in the caravels, landin' parties, attackin' native villages, and
makin' prisoners o' all the strongest and most hkely-lookm 7
men and women — with a good sprinklin' o* childer, too — and
cuttin' out the Portingal caravels wherever we found 'em.
Ah ! that work o' boardin' and cuttin* out the Portingals ! It
was fine and excitin', and suited Cap'n Drake and Mr. St. Leger
a sight better than nagur huntin*. They was always the
first to come forward for such work, and never was two men
so happy as they was when news was brought of a caravel
bein' near at hand.

" Three months we stayed on that there terrible Guinea coast,
and durin' that time we got together over five hunderd nagurs,
besides taking plunderin', and burnin' more than a dozen
caravels. Then, wi' pretty nigh half of our company down
wi' fevers* and calentures taken on the Coast and in the rivers,
we all sailed for the Spanish Main. A matter o' seven weeks
it took us to cross to t'other side o' the world, although we
had fair winds and fine weather all the way, as is usual on the
voyage from Africa to the Indies. Then we arrived at a lovely
island called Margarita, one o' the Spaniards' Indian pos-
sessions, where I was told they find pearls. Here we found
several storehouses crammed with food of all sorts and great
casks o' wine intended for distribution among the ports of the
Spanish Main ; and here our admiral decided to re-victual the
fleet. And mun did, too, in spite of the objections o' the
Spaniards, who vowed that they had no food to spare. We
took from 'em all that we wanted, but we paid for it in good
Portingal goold, seem' that we was no pirates, but good honest
traders.

'' Then we sailed westward again, past La Guaira and the
great wall of mountains that tower aloft behind it far into
the deep blue sky. On the third day after leavin' Margarita

28 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

we sailed into as snug a little harbour as you'd wish to see. And
there we stayed for a matter o' two months, landin' our sick
and our blacks, clearin' out our ships' holds, cleanin* , careenin' ,
scrapin', paintin', overhaulin , and refitthV generally, the
blacks helphV us willin'ly enough when we made 'em under-
stand what we wanted done.

" By the time that we'd a done everything that we wanted
to, our sick had got well again — all except four what died in
spite of us — and then we put to sea again, coastin' along
the Main and callin' in here and there to trade our blacks for
goold and pearls. But at first the trade weren't at all good;
and bimeby the admiral lost patience wi' the silly fules and
vowed he'd make 'em trade wi' us, whether they wanted to
or no ; so we in the Judith and another ship were sent round
to a place called La Hasha. When we arrived and made to
enter, the forts opened fire upon us ! So we and t'other ship
blockaded the place for five days, sufferm' nothin' to go in or
come out ; and then along come the admiral wi ; the rest o'
the ships, and we got to work in earnest. The shore artillery
and two hunderd soldiers was landed, the batteries was
stormed, and we took the town, drivin' all the Spaniards out
of it ; and be sure that Cap'n Drake and Mr. St. Leger was
among the first to get inside. That was enough for they
Spanishers; a'ter that they was ready enough to trade wi'
us ; and indeed that same night some of 'em corned back,
bringin' their goold and their pearls with 'em ; and avore we
left the place we'd parted wi' no less than two hunderd
blacks.

" And so things went on until we'd a sold every black that
remained ; and by that time we'd got so much goold and so
many pearls that the admiral was afeard that if we tried to
get more we mid lose all, and accordin'ly, a'ter holdin' a
council o' war, it was decided to make for whoam, and we bore
away up north to get into the Gulf Stream to help us to beat
up again' the easterly winds that do blow always in them part9.

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH u 29

But, as it turned out, we couldn't ha* done a worse thing.
For we'd no sooner weathered Cape Yucatan than there fell
upon us two o' the most awful gales that mortal man can
pictur', pretty nigh all our canvas was blowed clean out of
the bolt ropes, some 0' the ships was dismasted, the sea
well, I don't know what I can compare it to, unless 'tis to
mountains, it runned so high ; and as for the poor little Judith,
't was only by the mercy o' God and Cap'n Drake's fine sea-
manship that she didn't go straight to the bottom. By the
time that them there hurricanes was over the ships was not
much better nor wrecks, and 't was useless to think o' makin'
the v'yage home in 'em in that condition, so our admiral
made the signal to bear up and run for San Juan de Ulua.
And when we arrived there, if you'll believe me, madam and
Mr. Garge, we found no less than twelve big galleons, loaded
wi* goold an' silver, waitin' ior the rest o' the Plate fleet and
its convoy to sail for Old Spain ! And the very next day the
ships as was expected arrived off the port and found us English
in possession !

" Then there was a pretty to do, you may take my word
for 't. Some o' the cap'ns — Mr. St. Leger and Cap'n Drake
among 'em, I believe — was for attackin' the convoy and
takin' the whole o' the Plate fleet ; and, as things turned out,
't would ha' been better if we'd done it, for, disabled though
our ships were, we could ha' fought at our anchors and kept
the convoy from enterin' the port. But the admiral wouldn't
hear o' it ; he kept on declarin' that we was honest traders,
and that to capture the Spanish ships 'd be a hact of piracy
which would get us into no end o' trouble to home, and perhaps
bring about war betwixt England and Spain ; and at last
t'others give in to mun and let mun have mun's own way.
Then there was goin's to an' fro between our ships and the
shore, and I heard say as that the admiral were negotiatin 1
wi' the Viceroy for permission for our ships to stay where they
was, and rent ; and at last 'twas agreed that we was to be

30 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

allowed to so do, provided that we didn't interfere wi' the
Spanish ships.

" That bein' arranged, the rest of the Plate fleet and the
convoy sailed into the harbour and anchored, while we English
got to work clearin' away our wrecked spars, sendin' down
yards, and what not. The Judith bein' a small ship, Cap'n
Drake took her in and moored her alongside a wharf upon
which we stowed part of our stores and water casks, so 's to
have more room for movin' about on deck; but as for the rest,
they'd to do the best they could while lyin' off to their anchors.
And one of the first things that we did was to transfer all the
goold and pearls that we'd collected to the Jesus, Three days
we laboured hard at the work of rehttin', and then, when most
o' our biggest ships was so completely dismantled that they
hadn't a spar aloft upon which to set a sail, them treacherous
Spaniards, carin' nothin' for their solemn word and promises,
must needs attack us, openin' hie upon us both irom the ships
and the forts, while a party o' soldiers came marchin' down to
the wharf especially to attack us of the Judith's crew. When
Cap'n Drake see'd mun comin' he at once ordered all hands
ashore ; and while he and Mr. St. Leger and a few more did
their best to keep off the soldiers, the rest of us went to work
to put the provisions and water back aboard the Judith. But
we'd only about half done our work when a lot more soldiers
corned swarmin' down, and Cap'n Drake sings out for every-
body to get aboard and to cast off the hawsers— for by this
time there was nigh upon five hunderd Spaniards attackin'
us, and we could do nothin' again so many. Seem' so many
soldiers comin' again us', some of our chaps got a bit frighted
and took the cap'n at his word by castin' off our shore fasts
at once, without waitin' for everybody to get aboard first. The
consequence was that when all the hawsers had been let go
exceptin' the quarter rope — which I was tendin' to — the Cap'n,
Mr. St. Leger, and about half a dozen more was still on the
wharf while — an off-shore wind happenin' to be blowin' at the

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 31

time the ship's head had paid off until 't was pointing out to
sea, while there was about a couple o' fathoms of space atween
the ship's quarter and the wharf. I s'pose that seein' this, and
that there was only a matter o' seven or eight men to oppose
'em, gived the Spaniards courage to make a rush at the Cap'n
and his party ; anyway, that's what they did, and for about a
couple o' minutes there was a terrible fight on that wharf, in
which three or four men went down.

"The next thing I noticed, Mr. Garge, were your brother
layin' about mun like a very Paladin, fightin' three big Spanish
cavaliers single handed, and, while I watched, one of 'em
aimed a dreadful blow at mun s head wi' a heavy two-handed
soord. Mr. Hubert see'd the blow comin' and put up his soord
to guard the head of mun, but the soord broke off clean, close
to the hilt, and there were Mr. Hubert disarmed. Then the
three Spaniards that was fightin' mun rushed in afore Mr.
Hubert could draw his dagger, seized mun by the arms, and
dragged mun away out 0' the fight. And while this were
happenin' our Cap'n were so busy that I don't believe he ever
see'd that Mr. Hubert were took prisoner. Then I sang out to
mun — { Cap'n Drake,' says I, ( if you don't come aboard this
very minute,' says I, ' the ship'll break adrift and go off and
leave ye behind.' The Cap'n took a look round, see'd that
e\ ^rybody else but hisself was either cut down or took prisoner,
and, flinging his soord in the face of a man that tried to stop
mun, leaped clean off quay, seized the hawser in 's hands as
mun jumped, and come aboard that way, hand over hand.
Then I let go the hawser and jumped to the helm, and we
runned off among t' other ships, where we let go our anchor.

" Now by this time the fight were ragin' most furious every-
where, some of the Spanish havin' got under way and runned
our ships aboard. But they didn't gain much by that move,
for though they sank three of our ships, we sank four of theirn
and reduced their flag ship to a mere wreck, while their losses
in men must ha' been something fearful. But although we

32 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH'*

gived 'em such a punishin', we, bein' the weakest, was gettin'
the worst o' it ; and bimeby, when they took to sendin' fire-
ships down to attack us, the admiral thought 't was time to
make a move, so he signalled that such ships as could get to
sea was to do so. Accordingly, all that was left of us cut our
cables, and made sail as best we could, the Jesus leadin' the
way, we in the Judith goin' next, and the Minion comin' last
and coverin' our retreat.

" But that didn't end our troubles by any manner o' means,
for we'd scarcely got clear of the land when the Jesus was
found to be so riddled and torn wi' shot that we only just had
time to take her crew off of her when down she went, takin' with
her all the treasure that we'd gathered together durin' the voy-
age. Then we parted company wi' the Minion, and whether
she's afloat, or whether she's gone to the bottom, God only
knows, for I hear that she haven't arrived home up to now."

"And when did the Judith arrive?" demanded George,
when it became evident that Dyer had brought his story to
an end.

" Not above two hours agone," answered the man. (( We got
in a'ter dark, and come to an anchor in the Hamoaze ; and
so anxious were the cap'n to report that he wouldn't wait till
to-morrer, but must needs have a boat lowered and come
ashore to see Cap'n William Hawkins to night. And he bade
me walk over here to see madam, give her the news, and say,
wi' his dutiful respec's, that if time do permit he will call upon
her some time to-morrer, to answer any questions as she may
wish to ast him."

" One question which I shall certainly want to ask him will
be how it came about that he was so careful to provide for his
own safety without making any effort to rescue my son,"
remarked Mrs. St. Leger, in a low, strained voice.

" Nay, madam, by your leave, you must not ask mun that,"
answered Dyer. (< I, who saw everything, saw that the
cap'n could not ha' rescued Mr. Hubert, had he tried ever

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH 1 ' 33

so. He could not ha' saved Mr. Hubert, and if he'd been mad
enough to try he'd only ha' been took hisself. Moreover, from
what he've a said since 'tis clear to me that he thought Mr.
Hubert had got safe aboard, or he'd never ha* left mun behind.
I knowed that by the grief o ; mun when he was first told that
Mr. Hubert had been took."

" What do you suppose the Spaniards will do with my
brother?" impulsively asked George, and could have bitten
his tongue out the next moment for his imprudence in asking
such a question in his mother's presence. For Dyer was a
blunt, plain spoken, ignorant fellow, without a particle of
tact, as young St. Leger had already seen, and he knew enough
of Spanish methods to pretty shrewdly guess what the reply
to his question would be. And before he could think of a plan
to avert that reply, it came.

" Well, Mr. Garge," answered Dyer, " you and I do both
know how the Spaniards do usually treat their prisoners.
I do reckon they must ha' took a good twenty or thirty o* our
men, and I don't doubt but what they'll clap the lot into th'
Inquisition first of all. Then they'll burn some of 'em at an
auto-da-fe ; and the rest they'll send to the galleys for life."

" What sayest thou ? " screamed Mrs. St. Leger, starting
to her feet and wringing her hands as she stared at Dyer in
horror, as though he were some dreadful monster. "The
Inquisition, the aitio-da-je, the galleys for my son ? George !
I conjure you, on your honour as an Englishman, tell me, is
it possible that these awful things can be true ? "

For a second or two George hesitated, considering what
answer he should return to his mother's frenzied question. He
knew that the horrors suggested by Dyer were true, and the
knowledge that his brother was exposed to such fiightful perils
— might even at that precise insl ant be the victim of them held
him tongue-tied, for how could he confirm this blunt spoken
sailor's statement, knowing that if he did so he would be con-
demning his dearly-loved mother to an indefinite period of heart-

34 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

racking anguish and anxiety that might well end in destroying

her reason if indeed it did not slay her outright ? He was as
strictly conscientious as most of his contemporaries, but he
could not bring himself to condemn his mother to the dreadful
fate he foresaw for her if he told her the bald, unvarnished
truth. He knew, by what he was himself suffering at that
moment, what his mother's mental agony would be if he
strictly obeyed her, therefore he temporised somewhat by
replying :

" Calm yourself, mother dear, calm yourself, I beg you.

There is no need for us to be nnduly anxious about Hubert. I
will not attempt to conceal from you that he is in evil case,
poor dear fellow — all Englishmen are who fall into the hands of
the Spaniards, especially if they happen to be Protestants
and I greatly fear me that some of, those who were taken with
Hu may be in grave peril of those dangers of wliich Dyer has
spoken. But not Hubert. Hubert was an officer, and it is
very rare for even Spaniards to treat captive officers with any-
thing short of courtesy. I fear that our dear lad may have to
endure a long term of perhaps rigorous imprisonment ; he may
be condemned to solitary confinement, and be obliged to put

up with coarse food ; but they will scarcely dare to torture
him, still less to condemn him to the auto-da-fe. Oh, no, they
will not do that ! But while Dyer has been talking, I have been
thinking, and my mind is already made up. Hubert must not
be permitted to languish a day longer in prison than we can
help. Therefore I shall at once set to work to organize an
expedition for his rescue, and trust me, if he does not contrive
to escape meanwhile as he is like enough to do — I will have
him out of the Spaniards' hands in six months from the time
of my departure from Plymouth."

At the outset Dyer had listened to George's speech in open-
mouthed amazement, and some little contempt for what he
regarded as the young man's ignorance ; but even his dense

intellect could not at last fail to grasp the inward meaning

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 35

and intention of the speaker ; a lightning flash of intelligence
revealed to him that it was not ignorance but a desire to spare
his mother the anguish of long-drawn-out anxiety and the
agony resulting from the mental pictures drawn by a woman's
too vivid imagination ; and forthwith he rose nobly to the
exigencies of the occasion by chiming in with :

" Ay, ay, Mr. Garge, you'm right, sir. Trust your brother
to get away from they bloody-minded Spaniards if they
gives him half a chance. For all that we knows he may
ha' done it a'ready. And if he haven't, and you makes up
your mind to fit out an expedition to go in search of mun, take
me with ye, sir. I'll sarve ye well as pilot, Mr. Garge, none
better, sir. I've been twice to the Indies wi' Cap'n Drake,
once under Cap'n Lovell and now again under Cap'n Hawkins.
And I've a grudge to pay off again' the Spaniards ; for at La
Hacha they played pretty much the same trick upon Cap'n
Lovell as they did this time upon Cap'n Hawkins."

" Aha ! is that the case ? " said George. " Then of course
you know the Indies well ? "

" Ay, that do I, sir," answered Dyer, (l every inch of 'em ;
from Barbadoes and Margarita, all along the coast of the Main
right up to San Juan de Ulua there ain't a port or a harbour
that I haven't been into. I do believe as I knows more about
that coast than the Spaniards theirselves."

" Very well, Dyer," returned George. " In that case you
will no doubt be a very useful man to have, and you may rest
assured that, should I succeed in organizing an expedition, I
will afford you the opportunity to go with me. Ah ! here
comes your supper at last " — as the maid Lucy appeared with
a well stocked tray—' 1 Draw up, man, and fall to. You must
stay with us to-night is not that so mother ? " And upon
receiving an affirmative nod from his mother the young man

continued — " and to-morrow I will send you over to Cawsand
in our own boat."
Whereupon, Dyer, pious seaman that he was, having first

36 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH"

given God thanks for the good food so bountifully set before
him, fell upon the viands with the appetite of a man who has
been two months at sea upon less than half rations, and made
such a meal as caused Mrs. St. Leger to open her eyes wide
with astonishment, despite the terrible anxiety on behalf of
her first-born that was tugging at her heart-strings and setting
every nerve in her delicate, sensitive frame ajangle. And,
between mouthfuls, the seaman did his best to reply to the
questions with which George St. Leger plied him ; for it may
as well be set down here at once that no sooner did the young-
ster learn the fact of his capture by the Spaniards than he came
to the resolution to rescue Hubert, if rescue were possible ;
and, if not, to make the Spaniards pay very dearly for his death.
But to resolve was one thing, and to carry out that resolution
quite another, as George St. Leger discovered immediately that
he took the first steps toward the realization of his plan — which
was on the following morning. For he was confronted at the
very outset with the difficulty of finance. He was a lad of
rapid ideas, and his knowledge of seafaring matters, and
the Spaniards, had enabled him to formulate the outlines of
a scheme, even while listening to Dyer's relation of the incidents
of Hawkins' and Drake's disastrous voyage. But he fully
recognised, even while planning his scheme, that to translate
it into action would necessitate an expenditure far beyond
his own unaided resources. True, his mother was very com-
fortably off, possessing an income amply sufficient for all her
needs derived from the well-invested proceeds of her late
husband's earnings, but George was quite determined not to
draw upon that if he could possibly help it, although he was
well aware that Mrs. St. Leger would be more than willing
to spend her last penny in order to provide the means of
rescuing her elder son from a fate that might well prove to be
worse than death itself. Therefore the younger St. Leger began
operations by calling upon Mr. Marshall, the merchant and

owner of the Bonaventure, and, having first ascertained that

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 37

that gentleman had definitely, though reluctantly, decided
not to risk his ship in another Mediterranean voyage so long
as the relations of England and Spain continued in their then
strained condition, unfolded a project for an adventure to the
Indies, which, if successful, must certainly result in a golden
return that would amply reimburse all concerned for the risks
involved. But Mr. Marshall had not grown from an errand
boy into a prosperous merchant without acquiring a certain
amount of wisdom with his wealth, and he at once put his
finger on the weak spot in George's proposal by inquiring
what guarantee the latter could offer that his scheme would be
successful when a very similar one conducted by such experienced
adventurers as Hawkins and Drake had just disastrously
failed. He frankly admitted that the young man's scheme
was promising enough, on the face of it, and he also intimated
that, as a merchant, be was always ready to take a certain
amount of risk where the prospects of success seemed promising

enough to justify it, but he no less frankly declared that, while
he had the utmost confidence in George's ability as a seaman,
he regarded him as altogether too young and inexperienced to
be the head and leader of such an adventure as the one pro-
posed ; and he terminated the interview by flatly refusing
to have anything to do with it.

Bitterly disappointed at his failure to enlist Marshall's
active sympathy, George called upon some half a dozen other
Plymouth merchants. But everywhere the result was the same.
The adventure itself met with a certain qualified approval,
but the opinion was unanimous that George was altogether
too young and inexperienced to be entrusted with its leader-
ship. In despair, George at last called upon Mr. William
Hawkins, the father of Captain John Hawkins, to obtain his
opinion upon the project. Captain John had arrived home
a day or two previously, and young St. Leger was so far
fortunate that he was thus able to obtain the opinion of both
father and son upon it. As might have been expected, although

38 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

these two seamen were friends of the St. Legers, they were so
embittered by disappointment at the failure of the recent
expedition that they could not find words strong enough to
denounce the scheme and to discourage its would-be leader,
and so well did they succeed in the latter that for an hour or
two George was almost inclined to abandon the idea altogether.
Yet how could he reconcile himself to the leaving of his brother
to a fate far worse than death itself — for though he had sought
to make the best of the matter to his mother, he himself had
no illusions as to what that fate would be — and how could he
face his mother with such a suggestion ? The lad had infinite
faith in himself, He knew, better than anybody else, that he
had never yet had an opportunity to show of what stuff he was
made, he candidly admitted the damaging fact of his extreme
youth, but he would not admit to himself that it was a dis-
ability, although others regarded it as such ; he had been a
sailor for seven years and during that time he had mastered the
whole of the knowledge that then went to make the complete
seaman ; moreover, he was also old for his years, a thinker,
and he carried at the back of his brain many an idea that was
destined to be of inestimable value to him in the near future;
therefore, after a long walk to and fro upon the Hoe, he returned
home, disappointed it is true, but with his resolution as strong
and his courage as high as ever.

And here he found balm and encouragement awaiting him
in the person of one Simon Radlett, a shipbuilder, owning an
extensive yard at Millbay.

" Old Si Radlett," as he was generally called, was some-
thing of a character in Millbay and its immediate neighbour-
hood, for, in addition to being admittedly the best builder
of ships in all Devon, he was a bit of an eccentric, a man with
bold and original ideas upon many subjects, a man of violent
likes and dislikes, a bachelor, an exceedingly shrewd man of
business, and — some said — a miser. He was turned sixty
years of age, and of course had seen many and great changes

f H£ CRUISfi OF THE " NONSUCH " 3$

in Plymouth during his time, yet, although well advanced in
the " sere and yellow," was still a hale and hearty man, able
to do a hard day's work against the best individual in his
yard ; and although he had the reputation of being wealthy
he lived alone in a little four-roomed cottage occupying one
corner of his yard, and did everything cooking, washing up,
bed-making, etc., etc., for himself, with the assistance of a
woman who came, for one day a week, to clean house, and
wash and mend for him. He had known George St. Leger
from the latter s earliest childhood, and had loved the boy
with a love that was almost womanly in its passionate devotion,
nothing delighting him more than to have the sturdy little
fellow trotting after him all over the yard, asking questions
about ships and all things pertaining thereto.

He it was who had presented George with the toy ship that
still occupied a conspicuous position in the latter's bedroom
at The Nest, and which was such a gorgeous affair, with real
brass guns, properly made sails, and splendid banners and
pennons of painted silk, that the child had never cared to have
another. And the affection which the old man had manifested
for the child had endured all through the years, and was as
strong to-day as it ever had been, yet such was Radlett's
reputation for close-fistedness that it had never once occurred
to George that he might possibly be willing to help him, con-
sequently he had not sought him. No sooner, however,
did the youngster enter the house and discover the old tarry-
breeks in close and animated conversation with Mrs. St. Leger
than his spirits rose ; for it had been years since Radlett had
so far presumed as to actually call upon madam, and George
somehow felt intuitively that such an unwonted and extra-
ordinary circumstance was in some way connected with the
realization of what had now become his most ardent desire.

CHAPTER III

How Old Simon Radlett Made a Certain Proposition

to George

" Well, Garge, my son, so you'm safe whoam again," ex-
claimed the old shipbuilder, rising to his feet with outstretched
hand, as young St. Leger entered the room. " My word ! "
he continued, allowing his gaze to rove over the lad's stalwart
frame, " but you'm growed into a reg'lar strapper, and no
mistake ; a reg'lar young Goliath of Gath a be, no less. And
you've been a slayin' of a Philistine or two, here and there,

so I do hear" (Mr. Radlett was a little mixed in the matter of
his Bible imagery, you will perceive, but he meant well). "Ay,
ay ; I've been havin' a crack wi' old Cap'n Burroughs, since
mun corned whoam, and he've a been tellin' me all about ye.
Garge, I'm proud of 'e, boy — and so be madam here, too, I'll
be boun' — for 'twas I that made a sailor of 'e by givin* of 'e
thicky toy bwoat, a matter o' twelve or vourteen year agone
'tis now. My goodness me ! how time du vly, to be sure.
It du seem to me only like a vew months ago that I took
spokeshave and chisel in hand to make thicky bwoat, and
here you be, a'most a man in years, and quite a man in ex-
perience as I du hear.

Wi' madam your mother's good leave, I'll ask 'e to sit
down, Garge, for I be corned over expressly to have a talk
with 'e. And, first, let me say to 'e — as I've already said to
madam, here — how sorry I be to hear of what ha' happened
to your brother, Mr. Hubert. But — as I was sayin* to madam
when you corned in — you'll soon have mun out o' Spanish

40

it

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH** 41

prison again, for I do hear as you'm arrangin' an adventure
expressly for that purpose/'

"I certainly uant to arrange such an adventure, if the
thing can be managed," replied George \ " but I have got no
farther than wanting, as yet. I have called upon Mr. Marshall,
the owner of the Bonaventute, and some half dozen other
merchants, and tried to interest them in my scheme, but all
to no purpose. They say that I am much too young to be
entrusted with the responsibility of heading such an ad-
venture."

" Too young be danged ! " exclaimed Radlett with energy.

" They don't know 'e as well as I do, Garge, or they wouldn't

talk like thicky. Why, old Cap'n Burroughs told me hisself

that if it hadn't ha' been for you the Bonaventute 'd ha' been

in the Spaniards' hands to day, and all hands o' her crew,

too. Too young? Rubbidge! Now, just you tell thicky

plan 0' yours to me, and I'll soon tell 'e whether I do think

you'm too young, or not. And I be an old man ; I've seed

a good many strange happenin's in my time, and I've drawed

my own conclusions from 'em ; I'm just so well able to form

a sound opinion as Alderman Marshall or any other man to

Plymouth. Now, Garge, you just go ahead, and when you've

a done I'll tell 'e what I do think of your plan, and you too."

"Well," replied George, "it is simple enough. My brother

was taken prisoner in the course of a treacherous attack made

by the Spaniards upon a party of peaceful English traders ;

therefore I take the ground that his relatives are entitled to

demand his release, together with compensation for any

suffering or inconvenience that may have resulted from the

treacherous action of the Spaniards. I learned, only to day,

that the Queen has already demanded satisfaction for the

outrage from the Spanish Ambassador. But we all know

what that means. The negotiations may go on for years,

and the demand may be withdrawn in the end if by so doing

the interests of diplomacy may be served. Therefore I do

4& THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

not propose to wait for that — for who trows what may
happen to my brother in the interval ? My plan is this : I
intend to go on trying until 1 can find somebody sufficiently
interested in my scheme either to advance me the money,
or to entrust me with a ship. Then I will get together a crew
who will be willing to go with me, taking a certain share of the
proceeds of the expedition in lieu of wages — and I believe I
shall be able to raise such a crew without difficulty — and I
shall sail direct to San Juan de Ulua. Arrived there, I shall
make a formal demand for my brother's immediate release.
And if the Spaniards refuse, or attempt to put me off by saying
that they do not know what has become of Hubert, I will at
once attack the town, take it, and hold it for heavy ransom.
And if ransom is refused, I will sack the place, taking every
piece <?f gold or silver and every jewel that I can lay hands
upon. And from there I will traverse the entire coast of the
Spanish Main, pttacking every town that promises to be
worth while, until I have succeeded in persuading the Spaniards
that it will be to their advantage to free my brother and deliver
him over to me."

" And, supposin' that they should deliver up your brother
at the first town you call at — San Juan de Ulua, I think you
named the place — what' 11 you do then, boy ? " demanded
Radlett.

" I shall still require compensation for my brother's seizure,"
replied George. " And," he added, " that compensation
will have to be amply sufficient not only to recompense Hu
for his imprisonment, but also to pay handsomely all connected
with the expedition. It is my intention, sir, not to return
home until I can replace every pig of iron ballast in my ship
with gold and silver."

" Hear to him ! hear to him ! Gold and silver, quotha ! "
exclaimed Radlett, delightedly. " And how big's thy ship
to be, then, eh, Garge ? "

"The biggest that I can get," answered George j "the

THE CRUISE 0£ THE "NONSUCH" 43

bigger the better, because she will carry the more men, the
more guns— and the more gold. I should have liked the
Bonaventure, if I could have got her, for I'm used to her, and
she is just the right size. But Mr. Marshall will have nothing

to do with me and my scheme/'

"Ay, the Bonaventure!' remarked the shipwright, medita-
tively. " Iss, her be a very purty ship, very purty indeed.
What be her exact tonnage, Garge ? "

" One hundred and twenty seven," answered George.
" Yes," he agreed, " she is a pretty ship in every way, and
as good as she is pretty. And fast I There's nothing
sailing out of Plymouth that can beat her — although
perhaps I ought not to say as much to you, Mr.
Radlett, seeing that 't was Mr. Mason, your rival, who built

her."

" Never mind vor that, boy, never mind vor that/' answered
Radlett, heartily. " 'T is true what you do say of the ship,
every word of it ; and she be a credit to the man who built
her, although he do set up to be my rival. But 't wont be

true very much longer, Garge, for I've a got a ship upon
my stocks now as'll beat the Bonaventure every way and in all
weathers. I've a called her the Nonsuch, because there's
never been nothin' like her avore. I drawed out the plans
of her shortly a'ter the Bonaventure was launched, because I
couldn't abear to be beaten by Mason nor nobody else. And
I altered they plans, and altered 'em, and altered 'em until
I couldn't vind no more ways of improvin' of 'em, and then
I started to build. And now the Nonsuch be just ready for
launchin', and I'd like you to come over and look at her avore
I puts her into the water."

" Certainly ; I will do so with very great pleasure," answered
George, delightedly, for he had a very shrewd suspicion that
this invitation meant more than appeared upon the surface,
that indeed — who knew? — it might mean that the eccentric
old fellow was rather taken with his (George's) scheme, and

44 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

might be induced to take a very important hand in it. " When
shall I come ? "

" Come just so soon as ever you can, the sooner the better *

to-morrow if you do like," answered Radlett. "And now/ 1
he continued, rising, " I must be gettin 1 along, for 'tis growin'
late and I be keepin' of you from your supper. No, thank 'e,
madam, I won't stay. My supper be waitin' vor me to whoam,
and a'ter I've had it I've a lot o' things to do that won't wait
for time or tide. So good bye to *e both. And you, madam,
keep up your spirits about Mr. Hubert ; for I'll warrant that
Garge, here, '11 have mun out o' Spanish prison in next to no
time."

George was up and stirring betimes on the following morning,
and, after an early breakfast, set out for Mr. Radlett's ship-
yard at Millbay. He found the old man busily engaged upon
certain papers in the little room which he dignified with the
name of " office " ; but upon George's appearance the old
fellow hastily swept the documents pell mell into a drawer,
which he locked. Then, pocketing the key, he led the way to
the back door of the house, which gave upon the shipyard,
upon passing through which young St. Leger immediately
found himself in the midst of surroundings that were as
familiar to him as the walls of his own home. But he had no
time just then to gaze about him reminiscently, for immediately
upon entering the shipyard his gaze became riveted upon the
hull of a tall ship, apparently quite ready for launching, and
from that moment he had eyes for nothing else. As he came
abruptly to a halt, staring at the great bows that towered
high above him, resplendent in all the glory of fresh paint
and surmounted by a finely carved figure of an unknown
animal with the head of a lion, the horns of a bull, the body
of a fish, four legs shaped like those of an eagle, and the wings
of a dragon, old Radlett nudged him in the ribs and, beaming
happily upon him, remarked :

it

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH" 45

There a be, Garge ; that's the Nonsuch, What do 'e
think of her ? "

" Upon my word I hardly know," answered George. " Let
me look her over a bit, Mr. Radlett, before you ask my opinion
of her. Is she finished ? "

" Finished ? " reiterated the old man. " Iss, sure ; quite
finished, and all ready for launching. Why ? Do 'e miss
anything ? "

" Why, yes," said George ; "I see neither fore nor after
castles. How is that ? "

" Swept 'em both away, lad/' was the answer. " What
good be they ? I allow that they be only so much useless
top hamper, makin' a ship crank and leewaidly. 'Tis the
fashion to build 'em, I know ; but I\ e thought the matter
out, and I say that they do more harm than they be worth.
Therefore I've left 'em out iti the Nonstick, and you'll see
she'll be all the better for it. But although she have neither
fore nor after castles, she've a poop, and a raised deck for'ard
where guns can be mounted and where, sheltered behind
good stout bulwarks, the crew'll be so safe as in any castle.
Do 'e see any other differences in her ? "

Yes, I do," answered George, as he walked round the
hull and viewed it from different standpoints ; " indeed
I see nothing but differences. The under-water shape of her
is different, her topsides have scarcely any tumble home,
and she has not nearly so much sheer as usual. Also I see
that you have given her a very much deeper keel than usual.
That ought to be of service in helping her to hang to windward. ' '

" So 'twill, boy ; so 'twill," agreed Radlett. " You'll find
that 'twill make a most amazin' lot 0' difference when it comes
to havin' to claw off a lee shore, all the difference, perhaps,
between losin' the ship and savin' of her. Then, about the
tumble home, I don't see the use o' it. True, it do help to
keep the sea from comin' over side in heavy weather, and
keeps the decks dry. But then it do make the deck space

t<

46 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

terrible cramped up, so that wi' guns, and boats, and spare
spars and what not, the crew haven't got room to move.
But you'll see presently, when you goes aboard, that this here
Nonsuch have got decks so roomy as a ship o' double her size.
And I do hold that they almost vertical sides o' hern'll make
mun ever so much finer a sea boat. And I've aworked out
the lines o' mun upon a new principle that, unless I be greatly
mistaken, will make this here Nonsuch such a fast sailor that
nothin' afloat'll be able to escape from mun — or catch mun, if
so be that her have got to run away from a very superior force.

And I be havin' the sails cut differently, too. I've thought
it all out, and I've made up my mind that the way sails be
cut up to now, they be very much too baggy, so that a ship
can't go to windward. But I be havin' all the Nonsuch's
sails cut to set so flat as ever they can be made, and well, I
do expect 'twill make a lot of difference. And now, Garge,
havin' looked at her from outside, perhaps you'd like to go
aboard and see what she do look like on deck and below."

George having agreed that this was the case, the old man
led his visitor up a ladder reaching from the ground to the
entry port. After the spacious deck had been duly admired
and commented upon the pair entered the cabins in the poop
and below, where again everything proved so admirable that
young St. Leger found himself quite at a loss for words in
which to adequately express his approval, to the great delight
of the proud designer of the ship.

At length, after a thoroughly exhaustive inspection of the
ship, both inside and out, during which Radlett drew attention
to and expatiated upon the various new ideas embodied in
the design, the curiously contrasted pair retired to the little
room which the shipwright called his office, and there sat
down for a chat.

" Well, Garge," exclaimed the old man, as he seated him-
self comfortably in a great arm-chair, "now that you've had
a good look at the Nonsttch, what do 'e think of her ? "

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 47

" She is a splendid craft, and a perfect wonder, well worthy
of her name/' pronounced George with enthusiasm. " I should
not be surprised to learn that she inaugurates an entirely new
system of shipbuilding. She would be the very ship, of all

others, for such an adventure as mine ; but I suppose you
have built her with an especial view to some particular kind
of service. Even if you have not, I very much doubt whether
I could raise the money in a reasonable time to buy her.
What price are you asking for her ? n

" She is not for sale, boy/' answered the old man with an
inscrutable smile. " I built her in order to put to the test
certain theories o' my own, and now, before ever she touches
the water, I be sure, from the look of her, that my theories
be right. So I be going to keep her and use her for my own
purposes. And one o' they purposes be to make money so
fast as ever I can. I've got neither chick nor child to think
about and take care of, so my only pleasure in life be to build
good ships and make good money with 'em.

" Now, Garge, when I sat listenin' to you talkin' last night,
I says to myself— ' There's money, and lots of it, in that
there adventure o' Garge's, if 't is only worked right. But
it'll want a good leader, and a good ship ; and young as
Garge St. Leger be, I do believe he've a got the brains and
the courage for it, while I've got the ship. If I'd a built the
Nonsuch expressly for such an adventure she couldn't ha'
been better suited for it.' So I corned home and thought
the thing over until I'd made up my mind about it. Now,
Garge, I'm willin' to do this for 'e. I'll launch the Nonsuch
just as sune as we can get the cradle builded. Then, directly
that she be afloat, I'll put on a strong gang 0' riggers to get
her masts in and rigged and her spars across — the sails be
makin' now, and'll be finished by the time that she's ready
vor 'em ; and when she's all complete I'll fit her out in ordnance,
ammunition, and weapons of all sorts, and provision her for
a year's cruise, all at my own expense You shall have her

48 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

for your adventure upon condition that you provide a sufficient
crew for her, to my satisfaction, and that, for the use of the
ship and her equipment, I be to have one half of all the treasure
you brings home ; the other half to be disposed of as you

thinks fit. Now, what do 'e say ? Will that arrangement
suit 'e ? "

" It will suit me admirably, Mr. Radlett, and I agree to
your proposal with a thousand thanks and the greatest plea-
sure/' said George. "Indeed," he added, "it was precisely
such an agreement as I desired to enter into with Mr. Marshall,
or some other merchant, but none of them would listen to
me. And very lucky it is for me that they would not, for
with none of them should I have got such a ship as the Non-
such. What is her tonnage ? "

"Just three tons bigger than the Bonavefititre, accordin'
to her measurements," answered Radlett, " but she'll have
twice so much accommodation for a crew as Marshall's ship
have got ; because the Bonaventurc be built for cargo carry in'
while the Nonsuch be built more for fightin' and sailin'. Now
do 'e see ? " And the old fellow accompanied his explana-
tion with a dig in the ribs that was intended to convey
to George several things that it was best not to discuss
too openly.

Of course George fully understood his companion's meaning,
understood that is to say that the Nonsuch had been
specially designed and built with a view to her employment
as a freebooter, free-trader — as it was then euphemistically
termed — or a pirate ! But let not the reader be too greatly
shocked at this frank admission. For in the days of George
St. Leger piracy was regarded as a perfectly legitimate and
honourable trade always provided that the acts of piracy
were perpetrated only against the enemies of one's countrv.
A pirate, indeed, in those days, was synonymous with tixe
individual who was termed a privateersman at the time of
the Napoleonic wars. George St. Leger, although a perfectly

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 49

honest and even God-fearing young man, received old Rad-
lett's hint, with all that it implied, without turning a hair, for
it implied nothing worse than he had contemplated from the
moment when he first heard of his brother's capture. It was
generally agreed, at that time, that it was not only quite
lawful but actually meritorious to make war upon and spoil
the enemy of one's country, and Spain was England's enemy
just then, secretly at all events. Many people maintained
that she was God's enemy as well, therefore it was deemed
doubly meritorious to make war upon her; so George St.
Leger had not the ghost of a scruple with regaid to his pro-
jected raid upon the ports of the Spanish Main.

So the bargain was struck there and then, even to the
drafting in duplicate and signing by both parties of a docu-
ment setting forth the several terms and conditions of the
agreement, After this George St. Leger departed for home
with a light step and a still lighter heart, to tell his mother the

good news. And she, poor soul, listened to him with strangely
mingled feelings ; for on the one hand her heart was racked
and torn with anxiety and fear for her elder son, a captive
in the hands of men whose cruelties to enemies, and especially
to so-called heretics, were even then sending thrills of horror
and dismay through the Protestant world, while her nights
were rendered sleepless by the visions of awful torments,
conjured up by her too vivid imagination, which that son
might even then be enduring. No wonder was it that, under
such circumstances, the one great and paramount desire that
possessed her, to the exclusion of all other things, was the
deliverance of Hubert from the fate which she pictured for
him. Yet, when it came to the point of consenting to the
going of her second son to the rescue of her first, her very
soul sickened within her lest George, instead of effecting his
brother's deliverance, should himself fall into the toils. For
she, like those merchants whom the lad had unavailingly
approached, was convinced that the lad was altogether too

P

50 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

young, too immature, too inexperienced to undertake the
responsibility of leading such an expedition, and if he should
fail, her last state would be worse than her first. And what
hope of success for him dared she entertain at the very mo-
ment when all England was being profoundly stirred at the
news of Hawkins* and Drake's disastrous failure? If they,
seasoned and experienced mariners as they were, found them-
selves unable to stand against the might of Spain, what chance,
she constantly asked herself, would such a mere boy as her
George have ? Thus she was swayed by first one form of
terror and then the other until her reason threatened to give
way altogether under the strain, and in sheer desperation she
sought, quite unavailingly, to find distraction in preparing
George's wardrobe for the voyage. As for George, he saw
the terrible struggle through which his beloved mother was
passing, read her every thought, realized her every fear, and
when he was not engaged at the shipyard with old Radlett,
devoted himself strenuously to the almost superhuman task
of allaying those fears, driving them out, and infusing some
measure of hopefulness in their place. And so energetically
did he strive that at length he actually succeeded in
convincing not only Mrs. St. Leger, but also himself,
that the expedition would certainly be successful and that
he would be able to bring home his brother safe and
sound.

Meanwhile, old Si Radlett was nothing if not thorough in
his methods, and, having made up his mind to engage in a
speculation that, if decidedly risky, might yet result in enor-
mous profit to himself, allowed no grass to grow under his
feet. Every man in his yard was at once detailed for service
on and about the Nonsuch, the cradle was built, and on a
certain raw but brilliant morning of early March, Mrs. St.
Leger, well wrapped up in furs, was escorted by George to
the shipyard in Millbay, where she had undertaken to preside
at the launch of, and perform the ceremony of christening, the

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 51

ship which was to bear one of her sons across the tempestuous
Atlantic to the rescue of the other.

The launch of a ship in those days was a much less cere-
monious affair than it is to-day, yet the piety of the time was
so real, and so intimately pervaded the affairs of daily life,
that a short religious service was deemed as necessary at the
christening of a ship as at that of a child ; and accordingly
a small platform was erected under the bows of the Nonsuch,
where, with Mrs. St. Leger beside him, the vicar of the church
in which old Radlett worshipped every Sunday morning
read certain passages of scripture, preached a short sermon,
and then offered up special prayers beseeching God's blessing
upon the ship. After this the spur-shores were knocked
away, and to the blare of trumpets and the roll of drums,
Mrs. St. Leger dashed a bottle of wine against the great cut-
water of the gaily bedizened ship as she began to move down
the ways, exclaiming, as she did so :

" God bless the good ship Nonsuch and all who are to sail
in her!" And she said it not perfunctorily, but from her
heart ; for the lives and fortunes of the two who were nearest
and dearest to her in the whole world w T ere irrevocably bound
up with the ship.

George did not occupy the platform beside his mother. As
soon as he had seen her safely placed, he made his way to a
point in the yard from which he could advantageously view
the plunge of the ship into "her native element," and his
heart thrilled with joy and pride as he noted with a keen, ap-
preciative, and understanding eye the manner in which the
hull took the water, the buoyancy with which, after the first
deep plunge, she rose to her bearings and sat upon a perfectly
even keel, and the cleanness with which she divided the water
as she drove out toward the middle of the bay. Then, too,
the craft being farther distant from him than he had ever
before viewed her, he was the better able to observe the very

marked differences in model which Radlett had introduced

52 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

into her design, the easier and more flowing lines, the more
graceful shape, the shallower hull, and the absence of those
towering fore and after castles which rendered the ships of
those days so awkward, crank, and uneasy in heavy weather ;
and he told himself grimly that with such a ship as that, and
with a good strong sturdy crew of staunch Devonian hearts
to back him up, it should not be his fault if he did not make the
word " Englishman " a name of dread from one end to the
other of the Spanish Main.

From the moment of the launch the preparations for the
voyage progressed rapidly, yet not as rapidly as George could
have wished, for the time was one of great difficulty and
tension in England; war with France, or Spain, or both,
threatened to break out at any moment ; the country was
swarming with spies, and it was therefore of vital importance
to the success of the expedition that the most absolute secrecy
concerning it should be maintained. It was even necessary
that the very existence of the ship and the fact of her being
fitted out should be noised abroad as little as possible, for, as
things then were, in the event of a crisis arising it was quite
upon the cards that the authorities might lay forcible hands
upon the craft and annex her for the service of the country.
Such a condition of affairs militated very strongly indeed
against extreme rapidity of progress ; yet so well did cunning
old Radlett manage that, in spite of everything, the process
of rigging the Nonsuch and preparing her for sea went forward
with surprising speed, It was of course impossible to keep
the fact of her fitting-out an absolute secret from everybody,
so when inquisitive people came prowling about the wharf,
asking all sorts of inconvenient questions, old Radlett gave
them to understand, with many nods and winks of mystery,

that he had it in his mind to see what could be done with her
in the way of a trading voyage to the eastern Indies, where,
he understood, pots of money were to be made by those who
were willing to take a little risk.

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH'* 53

Every day saw a little further progress made, an additional
spar raised into position and secured, a little more added to
the complicated maze of rigging ; and meanwhile George,
accompanied by Robert Dyer, who had been hunted up the
moment that his services could be made useful, went hither
and thither all over Plymouth and its neighbourhood, day after
day, hunting up desirable recruits, including many of the
Bonaventure's former crew, until in process of time they con-
trived, between them, to get together no less than one hundred
men, all of them of the true Devon breed, ready to go anywhere
and do anything. Under ordinary conditions so large a crew
would have found themselves cramped for room in a ship of
the Nonsuch's tonnage. But the Nonsuch was not designed
for cargo carrying. She was essentially a fighting ship, her
cargo space being only about half the capacity of other ships
of her size, the remainder of the hold being fitted to seive as a
spacious 'tween-decks, affording accommodation for an even
larger crew than George and her owner had decided was neces-
sary. And, in addition to the 'tween-decks, there were of
course the cabins, plainly but comfortably fitted up, which
included the captain's state cabin in the stern of the ship, the
main cabin, in which the officers would take their meals and
which would be used by them at other times as a council
chamber and general living room, and cabins for the pilot or
sailing master, the captain of the soldiers, the chaplain, the
surgeon, and the purser.

By the time that this formidable crew had been collected
together the Nonsuch was practically complete, so far as rigging
and eqaipment were concerned, and a week later found
her with provisions, water, powder, and stores of every de-
scription on board, as well as her crew, and only waiting for a
fair wind to enable her to go to sea. It was April, and after a

long spell of bitter north-easters the weather had changed, a
south-westerly wind had set in, with mild, rainy weather, and
although George declared himself ready to go to sea and

54 TH£ CRUISE Of TH£ " tJONStJCH "

attempt to beat down-channel, old Radlett stienuously opposed
the idea, upon the plea that it would be merely a waste of time
and a needless risking of the ship. But a day or two later a
hint was brought to him to the effect that the attention of the
authorities had at last been directed to the Nonstick and the
question of her being taken over by the Government was being
discussed, whereupon the old man withdrew his opposition,
and, the weather falling opportunely calm at the same moment,
George took a hasty farewell of his mother, hurried aboard,
gave orders for the lowering and manning of all boats, and on the
afternoon of a certain balmy day of mid- April, triumphantly
towed his ship out to sea until, abreast of the Mewstone, he
fell in with a small southerly air to which he spread his every
sail and so passed out of sight to the westward, while Mrs. St.
Leger, having crossed to Mount Edgcumbe, stood on Rame
Head, watching, until the white sails vanished in the golden

haze of evening.

CHAPTER IV

How the "Nonsuch" Came to Trinidad and was

Careened There

In these strenuous days of severe competition and universal
education, when there are far more men anxious to obtain
responsible positions than there are responsible positions to be
filled, a man often reaches middle age before he is able to
secure a command of the relative importance conferred upon
George St. Leger when the latter was given the command of
the Nonsuch. But in those days competition was nothing like

so keen as it is to-day, especially among seafarers, where men

of education were comparatively rare. Such men were only
needed to take command of the ships which were being built
to meet the requirements of England's rapidly expanding
trade with " foreign parts," and no sooner was a man qualified
to command than shipowners were glad enough to snap him
up. Also the sum of seafaring knowledge in those days was
infinitely less than it is now The art of navigation was,
comparatively speaking, in its infancy, and it was therefore
quite possible to produce a finished seaman in the space of
five years, or even less. Consequently there were many
Elizabethan captains who were little more than boys when
they obtained their first command, the immortal Drake, St.
Leger's illustrious contemporary, being among them. Boys
began life earlier then than they do now, and consequently
were often occupying positions of great responsibility at an
age when the public school-boy of the present day is just
beginning to think of abandoning his studies in order to enter

55

56 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

upon a career. Hence it is not surprising that, after seven years
of active sea life, George St. Leger, young as he was, was
deemed by his old friend Radlett as fully qualified to com-
mand what in those days was considered a very fine ship,
and to head an expedition of very great importance. True,
Mr. Marshall, the owner of the Bonaientiire, had expressed
some doubt as to George being old enough for the responsi-
bility of command, but he did not know the lad so well as old
Si Radlett did, and had not followed his career with the same
interest ; and no sooner was the Nonsuch clear of the channel

which event occurred on the day following that of her de-
parture from Plymouth — than the young commander began
to justify the confidence which his new owner had reposed in
him.

For, undoubtedly, George St. Leger was a born seaman.
Not only did he ardently love the sea and everything con-
nected with it, but he early developed a faculty of under-
standing ships, their tackling, and how to handle them.
Knowledge that some men acquired only slowly and with
difficulty he seemed to grasp intuitively. The mysteries of
navigation soon ceased to be mysterious to him, and seven years
of active sea experience had taught him all that there was to
learn in the way of handling a crew and training it to work
together in such a manner that its efforts might be employed
to the best advantage. Therefore, once fairly at sea, he
began to sedulously exercise his crew, first in the work of re-
ducing and making sail, until he had brought them to a pitch
of unsurpassable perfection in that particular direction. Then
he as sedulously drilled them in tacking, veering, and other
manoeuvres. Finally, he exercised them at the guns, putting
them through all the actions of loading, aiming, firing, and
sponging out their weapons — but without much expenditure of
his precious ammunition — until there was probably no smarter
or capable crew afloat than that of the Nonsuch. It must
not be supposed that all this was accomplished without

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 57

developing a certain amount of friction. The ship had not been
it sea a full week before her young commander discovered
that, despite all his care, he had picked up a few grumblers
ard shirkers who failed to see the necessity for so much stren-
uois training, but it was just here that his own personal
gifts came to the front. By dint of argument, raillery, and
in oae or two particularly bad and obdurate cases — judicious
chastisement he finally succeeded in, what is termed in modern
parlance, " licking them into shape/'

The usual course to the West Indies in those days was by
way of the Azores and the Cape Verdes, at one or both of which
places ships were wont to renew their supplies of wood, water,
and provisions, and from the last of which mariners shaped
a due west course before the trade-winds. But, as already
hinted, George St. Leger was a young man of somewhat original
ideas, and geography was one of his favourite studies. He
knew that the direct course from the chops of the channel,
was, as nearly as might be, south-west ; therefore he deter-
mined to steer a south-westerly course whenever the wind
would permit, instead of following the usual long route via the
Azores and the Cape Verde islands ; but with the assistance of a
roughly made globe he had also puzzled out the fact, not then
generally recognised, that in the latitude of sixty degrees a
degree of longitude was only about half the length of the
same degree at the equator, therefore he also determined to
make as much westing as possible at the very outset of his
voyage. And this he was able to do with very satisfactory re
suits, for the light southerly air which had sprung up and met
him when he towed his ship out of Plymouth Sound not only
freshened up into a brisk breeze of such strength that he could
only show " topgallants " — as they were then called — to it by
rather bold (( carrying-on/' but it lasted a full week, during
which the reckoning showed that the ship — which proved to
be amazingly fast — had sailed a distance of fully twelve hun-
dred miles, or more than half the distance between England

58 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

and Isewfoundland. Then a westerly gale sprang up, which
lasted nine days, during which the Nonsuch, under close-
reefed canvas, drove southward to the latitude of Madeira,,
where the ship encountered calms and light variable winds .or
five days before falling in with the trade-winds \ after wbich
the troubles of the voyagers were over. For thereupon ensued
not only a constant fair wind, but also fine weather, so that
the ship sailed on day after day over a sparkling, gently
heaving sea of deepest blue tipped with tiny creaming foam-
caps out of which leaped those marine marvels the flying-fish
in countless shoals as the bows clove the roaring surges, while
overhead the sky daily assumed a deeper, richer tint of sap-
phire, out of which the sun, scarcely veiled by the solemn
drifting trade-clouds, shot his beams with ever-increasing
ardour.

And then, at dawn of the thirty-first day after their depar-
ture from Plymouth, there was sighted, on the extreme verge
of the western horizon, a small wedge-like shape of filmy grey
which Dyer, the pilot, pronounced to be the island of Barbados,
and the crew, weary by this time of a whole month's gazing
upon nothing but sea and sky, swarmed up on deck at the
welcome cry of (( Land ho ! " and leaned over the bows, gazing
rapturously at the little spot of solid earth as it grew in size
and strengthened in tint. And lo ! as they gazed a cloud
formed over the island, darkening it into shadow. The under-
side of the cloud was black and threatening, and presently its
bosom shot forth vivid lightnings, green, blue, rosy red, and
sun-bright flashes of dazzling brilliancy, the low, deep booming
of thunder was heard, and soon the island vanished behind a
violet veil of tropical rain, only to reappear, a quarter of an
hour later, fresh, green, and sparkling in the ardent rays of the

tropic sun.

But as the ship sped on it was seen, to the bitter disappoint-
ment of all, and especially of those who were beginning to
suffer from that terrible scourge of sailors, scurvy > that it was

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 59

not the intention of the joung captain to call there, and deep
murmurings of discontent arose as the Nonsuch went rolling
past the southern extremity of the island, at a distance of not
more than a mile, and it was seen to be covered with tropical

trees glorious in every conceivable shade of green and gorgeous
with many-tinted flowers, for it seemed a very fairy land to
those men, whose eyes were weary of the unending sameness
of sea and sky, day after day, for thirty-one days. Besides,
many of those trees doubtless bore luscious fruits, and oh! how
grateful would those fruits be to the palates of men dry and
burnt with a solid month of feeding upon salt beef and pork !
George heard the murmurings and saw the black looks, and
called Dyer to him. Then the two went forward. Mounting
the topgallant- forecastle, where he could be seen and heard
by everybody, George waved his hand for silence, and pre-
sently began to speak.

"Men of Devon/' he said, " I perceive that you are dis-
appointed because I do not intend to touch at yonder island.
And I can well understand your disappointment, for truly
never have I seen a fairer sight than it presents. I can tell,
by my own feelings, how greatly you would enjoy a run ashore
there. But, lads, there is a good reason for our avoidance
of that island, and it is this. God has been very good to us,
so far, in granting us such a splendid passage across the vast
Atlantic ocean ; but splendid as that passage is, it has still
been long enough to develop scurvy among us ; and at the
suggestion of Doctor Chichester, I have decided, in council,
that before making our attempt against the Spaniards I will
put in and give you all a fortnight ashore, both to regain your
health and also to careen the ship and remove the weed which
you have only to look overside to see. Judging from sight
alone, no better harbourage could we find than that which we
have just passed. But, men, our pilot tells me that the place
— which is named Barbados is much frequented by the
Spaniards, if indeed they have not already taken possession

•;t

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

of it ; and we should find ourselves in sorry plight if, while the
ship is hove down, two or three Spanish sail were to appear
and attack us. Doubtless we should beat them off j but we've
not come all this way to fight just for fighting's sake. I fight
when and where I choose, and to please myself, not the enemy.
Therefore, instead of touching at Barbados, where we are
liable to attack, we are going two days' sail farther on, to an
island twenty times as big as Barbados, twenty times as beau-
tiful, and quite safe, because, beautiful as the island is, the
Spaniards have not yet found time to settle upon it. Mr.
Dyer, here, knows the place, and he'll tell you all about it."
And he stood aside, giving place to the pilot,

" Shipmates/' said Dyer, turning to the crowd of eager-eyed
men clustered thickly about the deck below him, " you do all
look most terrible disapp'inted because we'm leavin' thicky
island astern, instead of goin' in and anchorin' before mun.
But though he do look so good and enticin' he baint quite so
good as he do look. For all about here — and this here island
o' Barbados in partic'lar — I've heard tell be subject to the
most dreadful hurricanes that it's possible for mortal man to
imagine, and we don't want to go in there and have our ship
hove half a mile up into the woods by a storm-wave so that
she won't be no more use to us. Besides that, as our cap'n
have said, the place is used, off and on, by the Spaniards, and
we don't want 'em to come lookin* for us until we be ready to
meet 'em. So we'm going on a matter o' two days' sail to the
most beautiful island in these here parts, called Trinidad,
after the impious fashion o' the Spaniards, where I knows of
a fine, snug little cove where the ship'll be so safe as ever she
was to Millbay, and where we needn't fear either hurricanes
or Spaniards. There we can take our ease and enj'y the
lovely fruits that the Almighty have provided for the refresh-
ment of poor sea-worn mariners."

u Then, baint there no Spaniards to Trinidad, Mr. Dyer ? "
demanded one of the men.

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 61

" Not yet there baint," answered Dyer. " Doubtless
in time they'll find their way there ; but at present they'm
so eager after gold that they only settles where gold is to be
found. And there's no gold in Trinidad, nothin' but harm-
less Indians, and fruit in plenty — and snakes. You'll have
to be wary and keep a good look out for snakes, when you
gets ashore to Trinidad ; but that du hold good of all the
Indies."

So the men settled down again to wait in patience for the
appearance of the earthly paradise promised them by Dyer,
and, sure enough, the dawn of the second day after passing
Barbados revealed high land on the larboard bow, serrated in
outline, and tree-crowned to its very summit, As the ship
stood on, driven smootlxly forward by the good trade-wind,
bringing the saw-like ridges back toward the beam, it was seen
that the land consisted of two islands instead of one, the nearer
and lesser of which is to-day known as Tobago. But Dyer
knew nothing of Tobago, whereas he had been inside the Gulf
of Paria once before; therefore the Nonsuch held steadily on
until Tobago drew out clear upon the larboard quarter, when
a break in the continuity of the land ahead was descried, and
presently this break revealed itself as an opening full ten miles
wide, in the eastern half of which stood three islands — or four,
rather, for upon a still nearer approach it was seen that the
middle island was divided into two by a channel so narrow
that at a little distance it looked as though a man might leap
across it. And upon either side of the opening, up sprang the
land sheer out of the sea to a height of eighteen hundred feet,
steep, and shaggy, with tropical foliage of the most varied
and glorious tints.

Straight for the centre of the passage between the middle
and the most easterly island steered Dyer, and when presently
the ship entered the passage and her sails were almost be-
calmed by the intervention of the high land to windward, the

amazed seamen found themselves entering a magnificent land-

62 THE CRUISE OF THE '« NONSUCH "

locked gulf so deep and so wide that they could not determine
the limits of it. It was not until some time afterward that
they found it to measure some fifty miles deep by ninety miles

wide ! And thus they got their first glimpse of the wonderful
Gulf of Paria.

Once clear of the passage — now known as the Boca de
Huevos — Dyer trimmed his yards flat and brought the ship
as close to the wind as she would lay, keenly watching the
various points and indentations as they opened out,
one after the other, until at length a group of five
small tree- crowned islets opened out clear of an inter-
vening island, when he rubbed his hands and chuckled
delightedly.

" Ah, ah ! " he exclaimed, ' there a be, there a be ! I was
a'most beginnin' to fear as I'd forgot, or that an earthquake
had happened, or somethin'. But 'tis all right. You see
they five little bits of islands away over yonder, Cap'n ?
Well, they be my landmarks, and as soon as we've stood far
enough on to fetch 'em we'll go about."

As the ship opened out from under the lee of the weather-
shore it was found that the tride-wind was piping up briskly
athwart the gulf, but notwithstanding this it was nearly an
hour before the Nonsuch had reached far enough to the south-
ward to enable her to make the islets on the next tack, and
when at length she was hove about it was another full hour be-
fore she glided close past a low point and rounding-to, let go
her anchor in three fathoms, in a snug little cove that looked
as though it had been specially formed for the careening of
ships.

The cove was situated within a bay, and was formed by a
hook-like projection of land high enough not only to hide the
ship from the view of any chance voyager who might happeri
to enter the gulf for reconnoitring purposes, but also effec-
tually to protect her in the unlikely event of the trade-wind
dying down and giving place to a gale from the westward,

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 63

Moreover, the high land to the eastward so effectually pro-
tected the place from the trade-wind that a perpetual calm
existed in the cove, even when the trade-wind was piping up
with the strength of half a gale a few hundred yards away.
The shore was a narrow strip of sandy beach, completely sub-
merged at high water, beyond which lay a space of low, flat
ground about half a mile in width, gradually rising as it re-
ceded from the shore, and running up in a sort of tongue for
a distance of about two miles between two lofty, steep-sided
hills, densely covered with trees of various kinds, while the
entire shore, for miles in either direction, was thickly fringed
with coco-nut trees. Strangely enough, for some unknown
reason, the ground between the narrow fringe of coco nut
trees bounding the shore-line and the base of the hills, was
bare of trees, the soil being covered with a dense growth of
guinea-grass, with a few bushes and flowering shrubs sparsely
dotted about here and there — it therefore offered ideal facilities
for camping.

After George and the surgeon, accompanied by Dyer, had
gone ashore and very carefully inspected the place, it was de-
cided at once to unbend the ship's sails, carry them ashore,
and temporarily convert them into tents for the accommoda-
tion of all hands, which would afford the sick an opportunity
to recover their health and strength while the operation of
careening and scraping the ship was proceeding. This was
accordingly done, and by nightfall the camp was ready for
occupation, and the entire crew, with the exception of an
anchor watch, slept ashore that night.

The following day was devcted to the task of transferring
to the shore the whole of the ordnance, weapons, ammunition,
and a considerable portion of the ship's stores, one party
Attending to this business while a second party, under George's
personal supervision, proceeded to entrench the camp and
otherwise put it into a state of defence, a third party of half-
a-dozen men, under Chichester, the surgeon, exploring the

64 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

woods in the immediate neighbourhood in search of fruit, of
which they brought in large quantities, consisting of bananas,
mangoes, prickly pears, ananas, custard-apples, soursops,
guavas, and a sackful of coco nuts which Dyer showed the
men how to open so that they could get at and quaff the re-
freshing "milk." And oh, how delighted everybody was to
find himself in this tropical island paradise, where strange
fruits of the most exquisite flavour were to be had for the
mere trouble of plucking, where the air was fragrant with a
thousand mingled perfumes, where there was a perfect riot
of flowers of strange shapes and most gorgeous colouring to
delight the eye, and where humming-birds flashed hither and
thither like living gems in the dazzling, blistering rays of the
sun. True, there were one or two drawbacks — the heat, for
instance, was terrific in that hemmed-in valley where only a
transient breathing of the trade wind penetrated at rare in-
tervals ; and the men soon found that paradise still harboured
the serpent, for several snakes were seen and one w r as killed

a diabolically handscme but most wicked-looking creature
clothed in a skin of greyish black ornamented with a diamond
pattern consisting of lattice-like lines of yellow, and having
the flat heart-shaped head which betrayed its venomous
character. Also there were innumerable insects and creep-
ing things, notably centipedes up to a foot in length, whose
bite would certainly result in several hours of excruciating
agony which might even terminate in death, and small black
ants which insinuated themselves between a man's clothing
and his skin and tormented him to the verge of madness.
But these things troubled the men very little, for under Dyer's
tuition they soon learned how to protect themselves against the
plagues ; and meanwhile the salubrious air, the luscious fruits,
the perfume from the flower -laden woods, and the many
beautiful sights which surrounded them were real things in
the enjoyment of which they forgot all drawbacks.

Thus far, no natives, or human beings of any sort other than

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 65

themselves, had been seen ; the inference therefore was that
the island, at all events that part of it in which the English-
men had established themselves, was uninhabited, and they
therefore went about their work without fear of disturbance
or interruption of any kind.

By the end of the week the ship was empty and all ready
for heaving down ; and when the men knocked off work on the
Saturday night George let it be known that nothing would
be done on the following day, and that after divine service in
the morning all hands would be free for the rest of the day,
and at liberty to amuse themselves as they pleased. Never-
theless he warned them all not to stray far from the camp, and
even then to keep together in little companies of half a dozen
or so, and also to go fully armed. For although they had seen
no natives thus far, it was quite possible that the woods might
be full of them, watching and only waiting for an opportunity

■when the English were off their guard — to rush the camp
and destroy every one of its: occupants. Accordingly, on the
Sunday, after prayers and an early dinner, those who were
bent upon exploration armed themselves and wandered off
up the valley in small parties in accordance with George's
directions. But the heai. was so intense that few of the men
were disposed to ramble very far. They had been working
hard ever since the arrival of the ship and were more disposed
to spend the day in camp, resting quietly or practising archery
at the butts which they set up.

Seeing this, George, the parson, and the surgeon decided to
rig the quarter boat and proceed on a voyage of exploration
eastward in her ; and this they did, arriving, after a beat to
windward of some five and a half miles, off the mouth of a river
which seemed to be discharging down a long and very tempt-
ing-looking valley. There were no natives to be seen, or any
signs of them ; therefore, tempted by the possibilities which
the exploration of the river held out to them, they entered
and sailed up it until it shoaled so much and its bed became

E

66 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

so obstructed with rocks that the boat could proceed no
farther. Then it became a question whether they should
adopt the dictates of prudence and return to the ship, or
whether they should risk something by landing and pursue
the further exploration of the river on foot. Eventually they
decided that as the afternoon was still young, and nothing had
been seen that was in the slightest degree alarming or sugges-
tive of possible danger, they would take such small amount
of risk as was involved in landing and investigate the course
of the nver a little farther, the beauties of the place very
strongly appealing to them. Accordingly they landed, con-
cealing the boat beneath the foliage of a remarkable tree that
conveniently overhung the stream.

Having cunningly hid the boat and looked carefully to the
priming of their firearms, the adventurous trio stepped ashore,
George, with drawn sword, leading, while Chichester, the
surgeon, brought up the rear. They were compelled to closely
follow the course of the stream, since the woods on either hand
were so dense and impenetrable that it would have been im-
possible to pass through them, save by hewing their way, and
this was of course not to be thought ol. Besides, it was the
river that they desired to explore, since only by following its
banks could anything be seen of the many strange and beau-
tiful things that surrounded them ; therefore they pressed for-
ward, now on the solid ground close by the river margin, and
now scrambling, ankle and sometimes knee deep, along the
boulder- strewn bed of the stream itself, pausing at frequent
intervals to admire some forest giant dressed in vivid scarlet
blossoms instead of leaves, or another thickly festooned with
trailing creepers gorgeous with blooms of marvellous form
and most extravagant hue, or a graceful clump of bamboo,
soaring like gigantic plumes of feathers a hundred feet into
the he at- palpitating air. Frequently, too, they halted to
watch the motions of some tiny humming-bird hovering like
a living gem over the cup of a flower, or the flight of a gaudily

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 67

painted kingfisher or parrot. A great silence pervaded the
woods, for the trees were for the most part so lofty that the
sough of the wind in their topmost branches was inaudible,
and it was the hour when the insect world indulged in its daily
siesta. Animals there were none to be seen, but an occasional
sudden quick rustle of the grass told them that snakes were to
be watched for and guarded against.

In this fashion the trio proceeded slowly up the river, talk-
ing but little save when one of them in a low voice directed
the attention of the others to some object worthy of notice,
until gradually their ears caught a sound which told them
that they were approaching a waterfall ; and five minutes
later they sighted it close at hand — and involuntarily halted,
struck dumb and motionless for the moment by the extra-
ordinary beauty of the picture which lay before them. The
waterfall, the sound of which had reached them a few minutes
earlier, was some sixty feet in height and about twelve feet
wide, the river tumbling vertically down the perpendicular
face of the cliff into a wide basin, the lofty sides of which were
draped with the graceful fronds of giant ferns, the broad leaves
of the wild plantain, crimson-leaved acacias, enormous bunches
of maidenhair, and several varieties of plant and bush, the
names of which were unknown to the trio of gazers, and which
were brilliant with blossoms of the most lovely hues. The
fall leaped out of a kind of tunnel formed by the intertwined
branches of overhanging trees, the sombre foliage of which
was brightened by numerous festoons of flowering creepers.
But it was not so much the extraordinary fairy like beauty
of the scene as a whole the charm of which was further
enhanced by the loveliness of the humming-birds and great
butterflies that flitted hither and thither in the cool, spray-
laden atmosphere of the place —nor the marvellous profusion
of new and wonderful flowers of every conceivable tint
that everywhere met the eye, which so powerfully fascinated
the beholder ; it was the wonderful, exquisite blue colour

68 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

of the water in the basin itself, which, although of crystalline
transparency, receives its marvellous colouring through some
freak of sky reflection penetrating through the branches of
the overhanging trees. The effect of this wonderful colouring
must be seen to be appreciated. And it is seen and admired
every day by enthusiastic sightseers, some of whom have
journeyed thousands of miles to feast their eyes upon the
beauties of the famous Blue Basin of Trinidad, which is not
very greatly altered now from what it was when those three
adventurous Devonians stood and gazed enraptured upon it,
probably the first white men who ever beheld its magic
loveliness.

For a space the trio stood spellbound, silent and motionless ;
then the spell relaxed its grip upon them sufficiently to
permit of renewed movement and speech, and they burst into
rapturous ejaculations as they moved forward to gaze again
at closer quarters.

" Beautiful ! beautiful beyond the power of human mind
to imagine, or human tongue to tell/' exclaimed " Sir "
Thomas Cole, the ship's chaplain. " Well might the Psalmist
say ; ' O Lord, how manifold are Thy works ! In wisdom
hast Thou made them all : the earth is full of Thy riches/
And I'll warrant that David never looked upon such a scene
as this, for 't is not recorded that he was ever to the tropics.
And if God hath seen fit to make this earth so beautiful,
think, my masters, what must Heaven, His own abode, be
like ? "

"Ay, well may" you say that, Sir Thomas/' answered
Chichester ; " and yet, if there seems a chance of any of us
going there, we're willing to do almost anything to delay our
departure/'

" Well, and't is not to be wondered at when this old earth
of ours can show such loveliness as this," commented literal,
plain spoken George. " For my part, I'm willing enough to
be here, just now, to enjoy the beauty that the Lord has made

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH 1 * 69

to delight His people's eyes. And what a glorious spot it is
for a bathe ! Come on, gentles ; who's for a dip ? There's
time enough for a swim across and back again if we don't
delay too long. Twill be delightfully cooling and refreshing

after our long walk from the boat."

The proposal found immediate acceptance, for the heat
had been overpowering, and the trio were streaming perspira-
tion at every pore. It was Chichester only, who by virtue
of his professional knowledge was aware of the evil results
attending a sudden chill, who first took the precaution of
advancing to the edge of the basin and testing the temperature
of the water by plunging his hand into it, and it was while he
was doing this that his attention was arrested by the peculiar
appearance of what he at first took to be a large stone pro-
jecting out of the shallow water on the opposite side of the
basin. At first sight it looked exactly like a grey boulder of
some fifteen or twenty pounds weight, yet there was a certain

something in its appearance which caused him to bestow a
second and more attentive glance upon it, and now he felt
not quite so certain that it really was a stone, after all. To
resolve his doubts he picked up a small stone and threw it
at the questionable object, the missile falling about a foot short.
He felt almost sure that, as the stone plopped into the water,
he detected a slight movement on the part of the mysterious
object. To make quite sure, he threw a second stone, and
this time his aim was better, the stone hitting the target fair
and square in the middle. But the sound of the impact was
not that of stone upon stone, it was rather that of stone upon
wood, or even some still more yielding substance, and it was
immediately followed by a loud angry hiss and the uprearing
of the**object aimed at. The next instant the amazed trio
beheld the head and neck of a gigantic serpent lift itself
some four or five feet out of the pool, while fierce hissings
issued from the wide-opened jaws. For a few breathless
seconds the enormous reptile glared around, apparently in

70 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

search of the audacious disturbers of its slumbers, then,
seeing the three white men standing on the opposite shore of
the pool, it swung round, and came swimming, with an easy,
undulatory movement of its body, straight toward them at
an astonishing speed.

" Avaunt, Sathanas ! " exclaimed Cole, throwing up his
hands. " Surely 't is the Devil himself in his original form
that hath taken possession of this Eden ! No mortal serpent
was ever so big as thiclq'. Look to the length of mun ! He
must be all of thirty foot, or more. And look to the pace
at which he cometh ! We must run for it, my masters.' '
And he turned with intent to fly from the scene.

" Not a bit of it," exclaimed George, who was by this time
half undressed. "'Resist the Devil and he will fly from,
thee.' And if he be not the Devil, but only a mortal snake,
there is still less reason for flight, seeing that there be three
of us to one of him. Besides, I mean to have his skin, and take
it home to my mother." And he snatched up his long, keen
sword from the ground where he had thrown it when about
to undress, and boldly advanced to the attack.

The python, which was of the species known as " anaconda,"
is very common in the forests bordering the Orinoco, and is
occasionally found in Trinidad even to this day, the belief
current with regard to its presence in the island being that
the ancestors of those now found in the island originally
reached it by swimming across the strait from the mainland,
a distance of only some nine miles. They are very fond of
the water, and are not venomous. But George did not know
this, therefore it was all the more courageous of him that
he should have determined to fight rather than retreat from
the huge reptile.

The creature was making straight for a small space of
smooth, level beach, free from big boulders and fallen logs,
and as this afforded good firm foothold for a fight, young
St. Leger took up his position there, and boldly awaited

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " yi

the approach of the monster. The creature came steadily on,
its eyes gleaming balefully ; and presently it reached shallow
water, when it suddenly threw its extended body into a
coil, and raised its great head to the level of George's face,
its immense jaws wide open, and its wire-like forked tongue
darting and quivering as it emitted a series of savage hisses
that might well have quelled the courage of the bravest man.
But George was one of those peculiarly constituted people
who know not what fear is. Danger but added a piquant
zest to his enjoyment, and steadied instead of upsetting his
nerves. He loved to pit himself, his courage, his coolness,
his skill and his sagacity against what looked like overwhelming
odds, and the formidable aspect of this enormous serpent,
which might well have paralysed another man with terror,
only had the effect of bracing him and filling him with the
joy of combat. With his good sword gripped firmly in his
hand he stood his ground, intently watching the movements
of his formidable antagonist, with every muscle of his body
tense and ready for action, and presently, when the python
hurled itself at him with a lightning-like extension of its great
coils, the lad as nimbly bounded aside, and at the same moment
dealt a slashing blow at the spot where, a fraction of a second
later, he knew its great head would be. A jar, which thrilled
his sword arm to the shoulder, told him that his stroke had
got home, and the next instant he was violently hurled a
fathom away as the snake's severed head fell to the ground,
and the enormous body, writhing in a thousand terrific con-
volutions, churned the blue waters of the basin into diamond-
tinted spray. For full ten minutes the amazed trio stood
gazing in breathless astonishment at the amazing twistings
and writhings of the decapitated body, and then George,
taking advantage of a momentary cessation of movement,
dashed into the shallow water, seized the creature with both
hands by its quivering tail, and drew it ashore. Then, im-
paling the severed and still gasping head upon his sword

72 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

blade, and inviting his two friends to help him, the trio, with
some difficulty, raised the still convulsively writhing and
twitching body upon their shoulders and, thus heavily loaded,
made the best of their way ba^k to their boat.

The sun had already sunk behind the high land in the
direction where their ship lay, when the adventurers, with
their strange prize bestowed in the bottom of the boat, emerged
from the river into the open waters of the gulf, and shortly
afterward the darkness swept down upon them with the
extraordinary suddenness peculiar to the tropics. But they
cared nothing for that, for they now had a fair wind to carry
them back to camp, the heavens were thickly studded with
stars, shining with that exceeding brilliancy and splendour
which is also peculiar to the tropics, and the men in camp
had kindled a fire on the beach as a beacon to guide them
back ; they therefore had no difficulty in finding their way.

But their day's adventures were not yet quite at an end.
For as the boat slid smoothly along under the impulse of the
fast waning wind Cole, the chaplain, who was sitting on one
of the side thwarts, while the surgeon balanced him on the
other side of the boat, suddenly looked up from the water,
into the dark depths of which he had been gazing, with the
startled exclamation :

" Lord ha* mercy ! what be that, now ? Look, cap'n, look
overside, do 'e, and tell me, if you can, what monstrous thing
we've a-run foul of now." And as he spoke he pointed
straight downward.

George, thus adjured, leaned over the gunwale and directed
his gaze downward. What he saw was startling enough to
cause him to suddenly shift his helm, with the result that the
sail jibed over unexpectedly and all but capsized the boat.
Luckily the wind had been dropping steadily for the last
half hour, so they escaped with no worse consequence than a
gallon or two of water over the gunwale.

But what was it that caused young St. Leger to so far forget

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 73

himself ? Simply a great shape, made brilliantly luminous by
its passage through the water as it swam immediately under-
neath the boat, keeping pace with her. It was lozenge or
diamond shaped, about twenty-five feet long and thirty feet
broad, with a tail some ten feet long trailing away behind it.
The light generated by its passage through the water revealed
it sufficiently to enable the startled beholders to perceive that
it was undoubtedly a living thing of some sort, that it was
propelling itself by the movement of its wing like sides, and
that at its forward angle — which was of course its head — it
was furnished with a pair of great goggle eyes with which it
seemed to be regarding the boat intently and not too amiably.
Whether or not it was startled by the sudden flap of the
sail as the boat jibed, it is of course impossible to say, but,
be that as it may, as the boat suddenly swerved away from
above it the huge creature rose with a rush to the surface
and sprang right out of the water to a height of some twelve
feet, and, flapping its enormous wings like a great bird, flew
right over the boat, coming down on the other side of her, at a
distance of some four or five fathoms, with a boom like the
sound of a gigantic drum, and a disturbance of the sea so
violent that it all but swamped the boat. Five times it soared
into the air in this extraordinary fashion, luckily descending
each time at a greater distance from the boat, and then it
disappeared altogether, to the great relief of the voyagers.

" Looked as much like a giant thornback as anything I
ever saw/' remarked George, when at length the creature had
freed them from its presence and their astonishment had
sufficiently subsided to permit of their speaking again. " We
must ask Dyer about it. I remember him telling me, some
time ago, about a thing that he once saw when he was last
in these seas, and from his description I think it must have
been the same sort of fish. He said that the Indians called
it, in their own language, the devil fish, or great sea bat, and
they further told him that it is a most dangerous monster,

74 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

since it has an unpleasant trick of rising alongside a canoe,
overlapping it with one of its wings, and forcing canoe and
occupants under water. I think it not unlikely that the
brute we just now saw may have been meditating to serve us
in the same fashion, but was somehow frightened into thinking
better of it."

Twenty minutes later the trio safely arrived at the camp
without further adventure, and found all well there. The
men, it seemed, had enjoyed the day of rest, each in his own
fashion, some in practising archery, some in repairing and
washing their clothes, some in bathing in the shallow water
close inshore, while a party oi their comrades in a boat kept
watch outside them to frighten away intruding sharks ; while
others had walked up the valley, gathering fruit and flowers.
One party, more adventurous than the rest, had, ignoring the
order against straying far from the camp, penetrated the valley
for a distance of some two miles, as far as the base of the hills
at its higher extremity, and had there come upon a small
Indian village, the inhabitants of which had at first fled at
their approach, but had afterwards been induced to return and
barter with them, giving barbed spears, feather head dresses,
parrots, monkeys and a queer-looking little animal something
like a miniature pig encased in a shell like coat which the
men had incontinently named a " hog in armour " — now
known as the armadillo, in exchange for brass buttons off the
white men's coats, old knives, fish hooks and the like. Ques-
tioned by George as to the appearance of these same Indians,
the men described them as extraordinarily ugly and dirty,
wearing no clothing, but ornaments with pieces of bone thrust
through their ears, nostrils and lips, very repulsive as to
appearance, but apparently quite friendly disposed. And so
indeed they proved to be, for on the following day a number
of them approached the camp, bringing fruit, vegetables, and
a variety of other articles, which they offered in exchange for
almost any rubbish which the white men were willing to part

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 75

with. And being treated kindly, by George's express orders,
they continued this practice so long as the ship remained, to
the very great profit and advantage of the English. Of course
communication with them was exceedingly difficult, being
conducted entirely by signs, hence it was found quite im
possible to obtain any information whatever from them, the
business transactions being conducted by the Indians exhibit-
ing the goods which they desired to dispose of, and the English
producing the articles which they were willing to give in
exchange.

The ship was hove down on the following day, and, all
hands working hard, one side of her was scraped clean and
made ready for painting by the time that the men knocked off
work at night. The next day was devoted to painting that
side of her which had been scraped, and Wednesday was given
up to the drying of the paint and a general overhaul of the
stores. On Thursday the ship was righted, swung, and hove

down again, exposing the other side of her bottom, and the
process of cleaning, painting and drying was repeated, the
operation being completed by the end of the week. Sunday
was again observed as a day to be devoted to worship and
recreation, and on Monday morning the ship was finally righted
and the work of replacing her ballast, stores, ordnance, ammu-
nition and so on was begun, the task ending on the following
Friday night, by which time the Nonsuch was once more all
ataunto and ready for any adventure which her young captain
might choose to engage in. And, meanwhile, the invalids,
who, at Doctor Chichester's suggestion, had been spared all
labour, had completely recovered from their sickness, and
were as well and strong again as ever. And, incidentally, the
python which George had slain at the Blue Basin had been
most scientifically skinned and the skin cured, stuffed with
dry grass, stitched up, and the head joined to it again by an
Indian whose services the young captain had contrived to
secure ; and when the Nonsuch sailed out of the Gulf of

76 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH '*

Paria on the eventful Saturday which saw the actual begin-
ning of her great adventure, the skin — measuring thirty-four
feet eight and a half inches from snout to tail — gracefully, if
somewhat gruesomely, adorned the forward bulkhead of her
state cabin.

CHAPTER V

How they Captured the " Santa Maria " at Margarita

By the advice of Dyer, the pilot, George kept the mainland
aboard upon issuing from the Gulf of Paria ; for the island of
Margarita was at no great distance to the westward. And
not only was Margarita the spot where the Spaniards had
established a vastly profitable pearl-fishing industry, but it
was also a kind of depot where all sorts of supplies from Old
Spain for the maintenance of her West Indian possessions
were landed and stored, to be drawn upon as occasion might
demand. There was, therefore, the double possibility of secur-
ing a more or less rich booty of pearls, and of replenishing the
stores, somewhat depleted by two months of usage, at the
Spaniards' expense.

Now, it was usual to approach Margarita from the north-
ward ; but that course involved the risk of being sighted from
the battery which the Spaniards had constructed on the
north-eastern extremity of the island ; and to be sighted
meant that the garrison of the battery would give timely
warning to the colonists, who would thus be afforded ample
opportunity to conceal such treasure of pearls or otherwise as
they might happen to have on hand before the arrival of the
English. Therefore Dyer counselled an approach from the
south-eastward, taking care to keep far enough to the south-
ward to escape observation from the inmates of the battery,
assuring George that he was thoroughly acquainted with the
navigation of those waters and guaranteeing that if his advice
were followed the surprise of the colonists should be complete.

77

78 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH '*

Accordingly the Nonsuch hugged the coast of the Main as
closely as was at all prudent, a good look-out for rocks and
shoals being maintained ; and at dawn on the following morn-
ing high land was descried on the north-western horizon, which
Dyer, having inspected it from aloft, confidently pronounced
to be the mountain peaks of the eastern half of Margarita.

The ship was now, as she had been all through the night and
the preceding day, within the influence of the land and sea
breezes, and it was under the influence of the former that she
was now driving along to the westward. But Dyer was
aware that very shortly after sunrise the land breeze would
die away and the ship would be becalmed for the best part of
an hour before the setting in of the sea breeze ; therefore,
knowing exactly where he was, with Margarita in sight, he
gave the order to bear up and run off the land, which was
done just in time to escape the calm and run into the trade
wind.

Two hours later more land was sighted, this time straight
ahead, and a little later it was made out to be a small island,
right in the fairway between Margarita and the main. And
as, upon a nearer approach, a number of buildings were seen
upon it, while in the offing a whole fleet of boats which Dyer
affirmed bore a remarkable resemblance to pearl fishing boats
■were sighted at anchor, George resolved to give the place
an overhaul before calling upon the Margaritans. Now, one
advantage possessed by the Nonsuch happened to be that,
owing to the peculiarity of her design, she bore a very re-
markable resemblance to the Spanish race-ships, or razees,
which, in conjunction with the great galleons, transacted
almost the whole of the business on the Spanish Main ; and
St. Leger determined to avail himself of this peculiarity in
the hope that he would thereby be enabled to approach the
little settlement without arousing the suspicion of its inhabi-
tants. Accordingly he stood boldly on until he was abreast
of the place which now showed as one large wooden shed

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 79

and about a dozen smaller ones, together with a small stone
building which had the appearance of a church ; then, round-
ing-to, came to an anchor, at a distance of about a mile from
the shore, the colour of the water indicating that the island

was surrounded by a shoal.

As the Nonstick let go her anchor and clewed up her canvas,
a number of people were seen to emerge from the sheds and
stand gazing at her, as though curious to learn what her
business might be. But they showed no signs of anxiety or
alarm ; on the contrary, when two boats, with their crews
armed to the teeth, put off from the ship, under the command
of George and Captain Basset, who commanded the small con-
tingent of land forces forming part of the ship's company,
the islanders came sauntering down to the beach to meet
them.

A steady pull of about a quarter of an hour's duration
took the boats to the beach of the island, which was a low
and parched- looking place clothed with guinea-grass with
a few clumps of palms and palmetto, and the inevitable
coco-nut trees close down by the water. As George stepped
ashore a tall, sallow man attired in trunk hose, gorget, and
steel headpiece, with a long straight sword girded to his
thigh, stepped forward from the little crowd of about a dozen
people and courteously greeted his visitor in good Castilian
Spanish.

George, whose trade with the Biscayan ports had enabled
him to acquire a pretty thorough acquaintance with the
Spanish language, returned the greeting in due form ; but
there was apparently something not quite right about his
accent, for the Spaniard stepped back quickly and, clapping
his hand to his sword-hilt, exclaimed :

(< Sehor, you are not a Spaniard ! Who are you, and what
is your business here ? "

And as he did so his supporters made a movement which
seemed the preliminary to a hurried retreat. Whereupon

8o THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

George threw up his right hand warningly and said— of
course in Spanish :

" Stand fast, every one of you. The man who attempts to
move will be instantly shot down. As to who I am, sehor, it
matters not. But my business is to examine this island,
and particularly to see what yonder shed contains. Therefore
I must trouble you and your comrades to surrender your
swords for an hour or two. You are my prisoners."

"But, sehor, with all submission, this is an outrage/'
expostulated the Spaniard. "I cannot surrender my sword
to a stranger who declines to give me his name, and produces
no authority for his actions."

' ' This is my authority," exclaimed George, suddenly
whipping out his sword with a nourish. " Will you submit
to it, or must I resort to sterner measures ? "

"I submit, of course," replied the Spaniard, " seeing that
your party is much the stronger of the two. But I do so
under protest ; and I warn you, senor, that my Government

will speedily avenge this outrage, which is worthy only of

Ha ! now I know who you are. You are an Englishman
possibly that thrice- accursed corsair, Drake, who, last year,
at San Juan de Ulua "

" You are mistaken, sehor ; I am not Drake ; nor does it
matter who I am," retorted George. "Come, sehors, your
swords, if you please, for I have little time to waste. Simons
— and Way," to two of his men, " relieve those gentlemen
of their swords. A thousand thanks, gentlemen," as the
Spaniards surrendered their weapons. "Now do me the
favour to accompany me ; and please remember that any
man who attempts to escape will instantly be shot down."

So saying, George, with his drawn sword in his right hand
and his left resting suggestively upon the butt of one of the
pistols that adorned his belt, led the way toward the little
settlement, wondering meanwhile what could possibly be
the explanation of certain whiffs of a singularly vile and

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 81

offensive odour which now and then assailed his nostrils when
there occurred an occasional flaw in the trade wind which
was sweeping briskly over the island. He might, of course,
have asked, but the thought occurred to him that by doing
so he might perhaps be betraying his ignorance, and so lay
himself open to the chance of being misled upon a matter
that might very well be of importance. A little later on he
was very glad that he had held his peace.

A walk of a few minutes' duration brought the party to
the settlement, whereupon George called a halt and directed
three of his men to follow him into the first house they came
to, and the rest to keep a wary eye upon the prisoners. The
building was a small wooden affair, consisting of three rooms
only, two of which were sleeping apartments, while the third
was furnished with a table, a sideboard, a couch, and a few
chairs, and was evidently used as a sitting-room. There was
nobody in the house, but upon passing through it to the rear
they discovered a small detached structure, the odours pro-
ceeding from which seemed to suggest that it was being used
as a kitchen. There they found a young Indian woman
bending over a fire and preparing a savoury mess of some sort ;
and it was not without difficulty that they at length made
her understand she was a prisoner, and must abandon her
cookery and accompany them. In like manner they visited?
all the remaining houses of the settlement, collecting altogether
two white women and some twenty blacks, as well as a priest,.
the whole of whom, together with their other prisoners, they
unceremoniously marched to the little church, locking them>
therein, and so making prisoners of every soul in the settle-
ment. Then, having posted half a dozen men round the
church, to see that nobody broke out, George led the way to
the big shed, which was the most conspicuous building in the
settlement. Entering it, he found that it was divided into
two unequal compartments, the smaller of which contained
a few casks of wine, a few bales of cloth of different kinds,

F

82 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

*>

and a miscellaneous assortment of goods, evidently intended
for the use of the settlers. Then, passing from this
into the larger compartment, he at once became aware
of a faint suggestion of the same peculiar and offensive
odour that had assailed his nostrils while walking up from
the beach, and, looking more closely, he found that it pro-
ceeded from an enormous heap of something piled high against
the further wall, which, upon investigation, he found to be a
kind of oyster shell, the interior of which was more or less
thickly coated with a beautiful white, irridescent substance.
At once he understood the meaning of everything. Those
shells were shells of the pearl oyster ; the settlement was a
subsidiary pearl fishing station ; and the odour which had
so offended him was the odour of decaying oysters laid out
to rot in the sun in order that the pearls might be extracted
without injury from the dead fish. And it had apparently
dawned upon somebody that the shells, as well as the pearls,
possessed a market value, and this was where they were being
stored after being cleansed from the decayed fish.

But if that enormous heap consisted entirely of pearl oyster
shells, as it unquestionably did, where were the pearls that
had been extracted from them ? George glanced round the
sombre interior, lighted by only one open aperture guarded
by a heavily framed shutter, and saw two large boxes dimly
revealed in one shadowy corner of the store. He strode across
to these, and, flinging them open, stood transfixed with
amazement ; for one box — the larger of the two — was three-
fourths full of small pearls of the kind usually known as
seed pearls, while the other was nearly half full of lovely gems
of the most exquisite satiny whiteness, ranging in size from
that of a small pea up to beauties as big as the top of a man's
thumb ! What their value might be he had not the vaguest
idea, but there were hundreds of them ; ay, possibly a thousand
or more, and he knew instinctively that if he never laid hands
upon another particle of booty, the contents of those two

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 83

boxes would pay the whole cost of the expedition and leave
a very handsome margin over for prize money. The boxes
were iron-bound, and were furnished with stout lids which
were capable of being secured by means of strong padlocks
which hung in the hasps, with the keys still in them. So,
having satisfied his curiosity by closely examining a few of
the finer specimens, George closed and locked both boxes,
slipped the keys into his pocket, and then, going to the door,
called to eight of his men, and, indicating the boxes, instructed
the seamen to carry them down to the boats forthwith. Then,
waiting until he had seen the task accomplished, he walked
to the church door, unlocked and threw it open, and announced
to the prisoners that they were now free to come forth and
proceed about their business, adding that if they would walk
down to the beach after he and his men were gone they would
find their swords left for them upon the sand. This done,
he gave orders for the men to march down to the boats, himself
bringing up the rear.

As George quite expected, the cavalier in gorget and head-
piece, who had met the Englishmen upon their arrival, and
who seemed to be the officer in charge of the settlement, no
sooner found himself free than he proceeded straight to the
big shed, entered it, and a moment later reappeared and came
running after the retiring Englishmen.

" Sefior/' he cried, as soon as he arrived within speaking
distance, " you have taken our pearls, the proceeds of the
entire fishing season up to the present, and the loss of them
will mean to me irreparable ruin. I beg you to return them
to me, sefior, and in acknowledgment of your courtesy I
pledge you the honour of a Spanish gentleman that I will
remain silent as to your visit to this island. Otherwise I
promise you that I will immediately spread the news of your
presence in these waters, and of your atrocious act of piracy,
throughout the length and breadth of the Spanish Main,
with the result that you will be hunted by every Spanish ship

84 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

f9

of war in the Caribbean Sea, with consequences to yourself
and your piratical crew which I leave to your own imagina-
tion to picture. Come, sefior, I beg you to think better of
this, and to return the pearls to me. You will find it pay
you far better in the long run/'

" Sefior," retorted George, " if I understand you aright, you
would buy back your pearls at the expense of your own
countrymen in the various settlements scattered along the
coast, by leaving them unwarned of my presence in these
seas, so that I may have the opportunity to fall upon them
unawares. If you are sincere in making this proposal, sefior
cavalier, you are a traitor to your own countrymen > if not,
you have it in your mind to betray me and my crew. In
either case your proposal smacks of treachery, and I will
have none of it. Now, mark you this, sefior. You are at
perfect liberty to take whatever steps you please to warn
your countrymen of my presence in the region which Spain
arrogantly claims as exclusively her own. And you will be
doing your compatriots a service by acquainting them with
the reason for my presence here.

" Last year Captain Hawkins, my countryman, had occasion
to put into San Juan de Ulua in distress. He entered into a
solemn covenant and agreement with Don Martin Enriquez,
the new Viceroy of Mexico, whereby the English were to be
permitted to refit their ships in peace, without let or hindrance
from the Spaniards. Yet, despite this covenant, the Spaniards
most shamefully and treacherously attacked the English at
the very moment when they were least capable of defending
themselves, with the result that many of my countrymen
were slain — murdered, sefior, is the right word — and many
ethers taken prisoners, my brother, Mr. Hubert St. Leger,
among them. Now, my business here is to rescue that gentle-
man, and to exact reparation for his imprisonment and such
hardships and suffering as he may have been called upon
to endure in consequence of the treachery of the Spaniards.

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH'^ 85

My first act, in pursuance of this policy, is the seizure of your
pearls. If by any chance you happen to know anything of
my brother's whereabouts, you will be rendering your country-
men a signal service by imparting such information to me.
For I intend to carry fire and sword throughout the Main until
I have found my brother and exacted reparation ; and when
I have done that, my ravages will cease. If you can tell me
where my brother is to be found, I will proceed thither direct,
and spare your other towns. If not, I shall attack each as
I come to it. Now, can you tell me where I shall be most
likely to find my brother ? "

" No, sehor Englishman, I cannot/' answered the Spaniard \

" nor would I if I could. Your brother is no doubt long since

dead, probably at the hands cf the Inquisition. It is into its

hands that heretics generally fall. Go your way, sehor pirate,

go your way to the fate that awaits you, and do your worst.

I look to have the pleasure of seeing you publicly burnt alive

in the square of one of our cities ere long." And the Spaniard

turned upon his heel and left George standing there, in a

tumult of feeling too complex for description. But he did

not stand long, for his men had continued on their way down

to the boats, and were now waiting for him to rejoin them,

which he did without further waste of time.

Upon the arrival of the boats alongside they were at once
hoisted in, after which the two chests of pearls were taken
out of them and carefully deposited below ; then the anchor
was hove up to the bows, and the Nonsuch once more got
under way. The distance from the island which they had
just left — and which they incontinently called " Pearl Islet/'
but which they afterwards learned was named Coche Island
was not far, being a mere matter of some seven miles ; and
when they arrived within a mile of the rock-studded coast
the ship was kept away before the wind, and Dyer ascended
to the foretop, taking with him a " perspective glass/' or
telescope, belonging to George, in order that he might the

86 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

better be able to find the harbour of which he was in search.
And after remaining there nearly an hour and a half he found
what he wanted, namely, a low point covered with coco-nut
trees backed up with thick palmetto scrub, with an opening
to the westward of it beyond which rose three peaks. This
opening was the mouth of the harbour which he was seeking,
and a most unpromising-looking place it was, for there was
white water stretching apparently right across it, showing
that the approach to the harbour was guarded by a reef or
bar of some sort. But Dyer knew what he was about ; he
had already been in that harbour once, and he was aware
that somewhere in that barrier, if he could only find it, there
was a channel, narrow, it is true, but nevertheless wide enough
and deep enough to allow the passage of an even bigger ship
than the Nonsuch. And if he wished for confirmation of
such knowledge, there it was before his eyes, in the shape of
the upper spars of a ship showing above the top of the coco
palms, the distance apart of the spars indicating that the
craft to which they belonged was at least as big as the English
ship, if not a trifle bigger.

It was not, however, until the Nonsuch arrived immediately
opposite the opening that Dyer was able, with the assistance
of the perspective glass, to pick up the little narrow streak of
unbroken water in the midst of the flashing surf which marked
the channel through the reef, and from his lofty perch he
immediately shouted down the necessary orders to George,
who stood aft upon the poop, and who in his turn repeated
them to the mariners, whereupon the ship was brought to
the wind and, under the pilot's directions, headed straight for
the passage. Then Dyer communicated the further informa-
tion that there was a large ship lying at anchor in the harbour ;
upon hearing which St. Leger, after demanding and receiving
certain further information, gave orders for the ordnance,
great and small, to be loaded, and for the crew to arm them-
selves and stand ready for any emergency.

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 87

The Nonsuch, when brought to the wind / was within two
miles of the shore ; a quarter of an hour later, therefore, found
her sliding in through the short, narrow passage of clear water,
with the surf pounding and thundering and 'churning in
great spaces of white froth on either hand. Then, suddenly,
the commotion receded on the quarters and the adventurers
found themselves in a gulf some eight miles long, running due
east and west, and so narrow that there was only barely width
enough in it for a ship of size like the Nonsuch to turn to
windward in it — as she must do in order to reach the settle-
ment, some three miles to the eastward, off which the strange
ship rode at anchor. The water inside this gulf was almost
glass-smooth, being to a considerable extent sheltered from
the trade wind by the high land to the eastward, and Dyer,
still occupying his coign of vantage in the foretop, perceived
to his amazement, that while the spit on the south side of the
gulf gradually widened out as the land trended eastward,
the island, at this particular part of it, was so narrow that
the gulf was only separated from the sea to the northward
by a spit so attenuated that he could see the Caribbean across
it less than three miles away. This narrow northern spit was
also quite low, fringed with coco-nut palms, and covered with
low, dense scrub, as was the southern spit for a distance of
some two miles, while the land to the east and west of the
gulf rose up in a series of lofty peaks, tree-crowned to their
summits, the vegetation seeming to consist mostly of ceibas,
palms, bois immortelles, bamboo, tree ferns, calabash trees,
crimson-hued hibiscus, and other tropical trees, gorgeous now
with multi coloured blossoms, the whole presenting a most
beautiful and delectable picture as it shimmered under the
rays of the midday sun.

But there was one part of the scene which was not quite so
delectable, and that was a spot some three miles up the gulf,
where rode at anchor a race-ship quite as large as, if not
something larger than, the Nonsuch. She was surrounded by

88 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

boats, to the number of twenty or more, into which she was
discharging cargo which the boats were conveying to the shore
for disposal in certain sheds forming part of a settlement at
least four times as large as that on Coche Island. It was a
busy scene, some ninety or a hundred men being engaged upon
the wharf and about the warehouses, in addition to those in
the boats and aboard the ship. Moreover, the Nonsuch was
scarcely clear of the channel through the reef, when the red
and gold banner of Spain was hoisted upon the flagstaff aboard
the other ship, and on a flagstaff ashore, which was of course
a polite hint to the new arrival to display her colours in turn.
There was therefore very little prospect of the English being
able to effect anything in the nature of a surprise, unless they
chose to cloak their real character under a display of false
colours, and this young St. Leger positively refused to do.
Instead he ordered the white flag bearing the crimson Cross
of St. George — which was at that time the ensign of
England to be bent on to the ensign halliards, but not
to be hoisted until he gave the word, since there was no
sense in prematurely alarming the enemy if it could be
avoided.

The enemy, however, in this case, promised to be less easily
hoodwinked than their compatriots over on Coche Island ;
at all events their suspicions were more readily awakened, for
when, after an interval of about five minutes, the Nonsuch
still delayed to show her colours, the race ship fired an un-
shotted gun by way of calling attention to the invitation
implied in the display of her own colours • and when this
hint also was ignored signs of intense activity began to im-
mediately manifest themselves aboard the ship and at the
settlement, the boats alongside the Spaniard hurriedly casting
off and pulling for the wharf, while the race ship's rigging
and yards suddenly grew thick and dark with men hastening
aloft to loose her canvas.

" The Don's goin 1 to get under way, Cap'n, I du believe/'

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 89

hailed Dyer from the foretop where he was still perched.
" Do *e see his men swarmin' aloft ? "

" Ay, ay ; I see them/' answered George. " Well, let him
come, if so be he will. I would rather fight him here than where
he is now, where he could receive the support of his friends.
Do you see any sign of galleys anywhere about, Mr. Dyer ? "
Dyer took a long, searching look through his glass, and at
length reported that nothing of the kind was to be seen.

" Good ! " returned George. " Then our first fight promises

to be one of fair play and no favour — that is to say, if the

fellow means to fight and not to attempt to slip away, which

we must take care that he does not do. Mr. Dyer, you may

come down as soon as the Spaniard is fairly under way, for

I shall want you to help me fight the ship. Now, men of

Devon," he continued, turning to the crew, who had of their

own accord and without waiting for orders gone to their

stations, " we shall soon be fighting our first fight. Show

these haughty Spaniards what you can do, in such fashion

that the Nonsuch shall soon become a name of fear throughout

the length and breadth of the Spanish Main. Stand to your

ordnance, lads ; keep cool- and take good aim."

The Nonsuch had tacked tw^ce, working to windward up
the narrow channel, when Dyer shouted the news that the
Spanish ship had apparently slipped her cable, and was under
way, running down toward them \ and he followed up the
news by descending the fore rigging and making his way
aft, where he stationed himself on the poop beside George, in
readiness to supervise the working of the ship while the latter
fought her.

The two men had only time to exchange a few hurried
words together when the Spanish ship was seen to windward,
coming down toward them under full sail. And a gallant
sight she looked, with her brightly painted hull, her big
gilded figure-head and head rails flashing in the sun, her
mastheads and yardarms bedizened with banner and pennons

90 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

streaming in the breeze, and her painted sails bellying and
straining at yard and stay with the warm breathing of the
trade wind. She was still some two miles distant, and it
would be at least ten minutes before she arrived within
gun-shot.

" Pilot," said George, turning to Dyer, after he had eyed
the stranger carefully, " let the mariners clew up and furl
our topgallants. I believe we can do without them, by the
look of yonder ship, which seems to be not nearly so fast as
ourselves, and there will be the less tackle for the men to
handle when it comes to manoeuvring, and consequently the
more men free to fight."

The order was given; the men sprang to the topgallant
halliards and sheets, cast them off, manned the clewlines
and buntlines, and clewed up the topgallants. Then a dozen
of them — six forward and six aft— leapt into the rigging,
clambered it with the alacrity of squirrels, neatly furled the
sails, and were on their way down again from aloft when the
first gun from the Spaniard boomed out across the still waters
of the channel, to be echoed a little later by the distant hills.
The shot flew wide, striking the water nearly a hundred

fathoms away on the Nonsuch's lee bow.

" Now/* cried George, turning to a man who had for some
time been standing by the ensign staff, " you may hoist away
and let the Dons see with whom they are about to fight."
And in obedience to his command the glorious Red Cross on
its white field floated out over the taffrail and went soaring
majestically to the head of the staff, to be greeted with cheer
after cheer by the crew.

The Nonsuch was now on the starboard tack, heading to
the northward, and it looked as though the Spaniard meditated
crossing her stern and raking her at close quarters as she
crossed. To counter this manoeuvre, therefore, Dyer gave
the order " Ready about ! " and as the sail trimmers sprang
to their stations, George shouted an order to the gunners of

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 91

the starboard battery to be ready to fire at the word of com-
mand. The men accordingly blew their smouldering matches
vigorously, again looked to the priming of their ordnanee,
and held themselves ready to discharge at the word. Up
swept the Nonsuch into the wind, with all her sails ashiver
in the brisk breeze, and, watching carefully, George gave the
order to fire at the exact moment when the Spanish ship was
square abeam. The Spaniard discharged her broadside at
the same instant, and immediately succeeding the thunder
of the two broadsides those on board the Nonsuch heard the
distant thud of their pounding shot and the crackling crash
of splintering spars ; and, looking eagerly in the direction of
the Spanish ship, they saw that they had shot away her
foremast and bowsprit, both of which were in the very act
of falling. So they raised three joyous cheers and fell to
loading their pieces again, while their comrades, who had not
yet fired, looked to see where the Spanish shot had gone.

But, with the exception of two holes in the Nonsuch's main-
sail, and a severed brace dangling from the fore-topsail yard-
arm, no damage was discoverable, whereat they cheered
again .

The Spanish ship continued to forge ahead on her original
course for a distance of a few fathoms, and then the wreck
of her foremast and bowsprit, towing alongside and still
attached to her hull by the standing and running rigging,
dragged her head round to starboard, whereupon she in-
stantly broached to. Meanwhile the Nonsuch, having stayed,
was paying off on the larboard tack, the relative positions of
the two ships being such that a collision seemed imminent.
George saw that the situation was such as to demand instant
decision, and he immediately made up his mind what to do.

" Keep her away, Mr. Dyer," he commanded, " and run
alongside the enemy to leeward. Keep your head sail aback
to deaden our way, or we shall never get the grapnels to hold.
Stand by there to larboard to heave your grappling irons.

• /

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

Archers and musketeers, discharge me a volley upon the
decks of yonder ship ; and, gunners of the larboard battery,
be ready to fire a broadside of ordnance, great and small,
into her at the moment when you feel us touch. Then,
boarders, be ready to follow me." And he drew his sword.

The next moment a shower of arrows and musket balls
swept the decks of the stranger with devastating effect, as
might be gathered from the chorus of shrieks and yells of
anguish that arose from the deck of the Spaniard. An
answering volley was instantly returned by the enemy, but
it was wild, straggling, and feeble, bearing eloquent testimony
to the state of confusion that already prevailed on board her,
and which did little harm ; and this state of confusion was
further demonstrated by the sight of an officer on her poop
waving his sword violently and shouting orders to which
nobody seemed to pay the slightest attention. A minute
later the hulls of the two ships crashed together, the grappling
irons were thrown at the precise instant that the Nonsuch
poured a destructive broadside into her antagonist, and before
the ships had time to recoil from the impact, George, at the
head of some fifty boarders, leapt from the one ship to the
other, and the party proceeded to lay about them with sword,
pike, and musket butt with such fell determination that after
a few seconds' resistance on the part of the Spaniards the
latter flung down their weapons and called for quarter.

George turned to the officer, who had now descended from
the poop to the main deck and was valiantly fighting,
single-handed, with his back to the front of the poop cabins,

and cried to him :

" Do you surrender, senor ? "

" I will, if you will promise me good guerra, senor/' replied
the Spaniard, dexterously parrying the thrust of a pikeman
and running his antagonist neatly through the shoulder.

" Then stop, men ; hold your hands, and leave this cavalier
to me/' cried George, dashing in and striking up the points

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 93

of the English weapons that still threatened the Spaniard.
Then, as the men drew sullenly and unwillingly back, the
young captain advanced, with lowered point, and his left
hand held out. "Your sword, sehor," he demanded. "On
the word of an Englishman, I promise you buena guerra."

Whereupon the Don, taking his sword by the point, tendered
it, hilt first, with a bow, to George, who tucked it under his
left arm, bowing in turn as he received it. And so the Santa
Maria, fifty tons bigger than the Nonsuch, and carrying even
more guns, with a crew which, at the beginning of the action,
had numbered one hundred and thirty, became the first prize

of George's prowess and that of the Devon mastiffs.

CHAPTER VI

How They Came to a Desert Island and Buried Their

Treasure

The ships being still held fast together by the chains of the

grappling irons, and driving slowly down the channel before

the wind, George first ordered the Nonsuch to be brought to

an anchor; and when this was done he further instructed

Dyer to take steps for the effectual securing of the unwounded

prisoners, and the tending of the wounded on both sides.

Then, inviting the officer who had surrendered to him — and

whom he rightly assumed to be the captain of the prize

to accompany him into the state cabin of the captured ship,

he formally introduced himself as Sefior Don George St. Leger,

an Englishman, and captain of the ship Nonsuch ; the stranger

returning the compliment by explaining that he was Senor

Don Pasquale Alfonso Maria Francisco of Albuquerque, a

servant of his Most Catholic Majesty, Philip of Spain, and

commander of the ship Santa Maria, dispatched from Cadiz

by his Majesty to convey munitions of various descriptions

to his Majesty's possessions in the Western Indies. And

when requested to specify more particularly of what those

munitions consisted, Don Pasquale, etc., etc, mentioned

wines, cloths, silk, and brocades of various descriptions, salt,

leather, articles of furniture, arms and ammunition, and — he

hesitated, whereupon George gently invited him to complete

his enumeration.

"Before I do so, senor/' remarked Don Pasquale, " I

94

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 95

should like to ask what you intend to do with my ship / now

that you have captured her.

>»

"Assuredly," answered George, "I had quite intended
to tell you, even if you had not asked for the information.
My purpose in coming to this part of the world is to seek
my brother, who was last year captured by your countrymen
at San Juan de Ulua, when, by order of Don Martin Enriquez,
they treacherously attacked the squadron of the English
admiral, John Hawkins, while he was peacefully refitting his
ships, under an agreement whereby they were to be permitted
to do so without let, hindrance, or interference of any kind.
My brother, Don Hubert St. Leger, is still a prisoner in the
hands of your countrymen. My intention is to secure his
release, if he is still alive ; and to exact heavy compensation
for his detention — and any discomfort or suffering to which
he may have been subjected ; or, if he is dead, to wreak my
vengeance upon his slayers. Therefore, seflor, you will be
rendering your countrymen a service — when I have released
you — by informing them of my purpose, and saying, further,
that as soon as I have found my brother, or had him restored
to me, I will hold my hand and leave these shores ; but until
then I will ravage the Spanish Main from end to end. Thus,
you — and your countrymen also, I hope — will see that it is
to the interest of every Spaniard in the Indies to find my
brother and restore him to me, alive and unhurt, as quickly
as possible. And do not forget to lay full emphasis upon the
words ' alive and unhurt,' senor, because if he has been slain,
or even injured in any way, I will exact such terrible reparation
as shall linger in the memory of Spaniards for many a long
year. It is in pursuance of my policy of exacting reparation
for my brother's detention that I have captured your ship.
I shall take from her whatever I may find aboard her that
will be of use to me ; and, that done, I shall land you all
here on the island of Margarita, and either sink or burn the
Santa Maria."

tt

tt

tt

f i

96 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

" I presume, senor, from what you say, that you hold a
commission from the Queen of England, and that it is she
who has dispatched you upon your mission of retribution,
in revenge for the attack upon her ships at San Juan de Ulua.
Is that so ? " demanded Don Pasquale.

No, sehor, it is not so," answered George. "The Queen
of England knows nothing of this expedition, which is entirely
a private venture of my own."

And the senor holds no commission ? " continued the Don.
No commission save what is conferred by this/' answered
George, touching his sword.

"Then it would appear that I have fallen into the hands
of a common pirate, senor/' remarked Don Pasquale through
his teeth.

" If you choose to so regard me," answered George.
Buenol" remarked the Spaniard. "Then I shall know
what to do. There is no question of how I choose to regard
you, senor. You hold no commission from your Queen, yet
you have dared to make war upon the lieges of his Most
Catholic Majesty. Therefore you are a pirate, neither more
nor less. And as soon as it pleases you to release me I shall
make the best of my way to the Main, there to warn my
countrymen of your presence upon the coast, and your alleged
object. And you may rest assured, senor, that within a month
from this time every Spanish ship in these seas will be on the
look-out for you. Your career of piracy will then soon be
cut short ; and I shall live in the hope of seeing you hanged
as a warning and example to all other pirates."

"That is as may be," retorted George. "You may be
assured, Don Pasquale, that I did not enter upon this ex-
pedition without a full realization of all the risks which it
involved. Let me again impress upon you the urgency of
remembering the words alive and unhurt in relation to my
brother, when you make your report ; for if anything has
been allowed to happen to him, I will hold responsible every

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 97

Spaniard who falls into my hands. By the way, was there
not something that you were about to add when you were
enumerating the items of your ship's cargo ? "

"There was, sehor," answered Don Pasquale, "but I
was then under the impression that I had fallen into the hands
of a fellow soldier. But now that I find my captor to be merely
a common pirate, it is not consonant with my honour to afford
you any further information."

"As you please, senor/' answered George, in nowise ruffled
by the Don's reiteration of the term " pirate," which in those
days carried nothing like the opprobrious signification that
it bears to-day. " It matters not ; for I shall cause your
ship to be thoroughly searched from stem to stern before I
destroy her. But as you seem to be imbued with so very

strong an animus against me, I must put you in confinement
while your ship is being searched, lest you should feel tempted
to do something which you would afterwards be sorry for."
So saying, young St. Leger threw open the door of a state room
in the lock of which he observed a key and, signing to the
Spaniard to enter, closed the door and locked the man in,
much to the haughty Don's undisguised disgust. Then,
having first called in a man from the deck to stand sentry
over the door, he went out on deck to see how matters were
proceeding there.

He found that the task of separating the wounded from the
dead and the disposal of the former as comfortably as might
be on board the ships to which they respectively belonged, was
upon the eve of completion, whereupon, after giving Dyer
certain further orders, George called to Heard, the purser,
and a couple of seamen, to accompany him, and again entering
the cabin of the prize, proceeded to subject it to a thorough
systematic search, beginning with the captain's own private
state room. Here, as George quite expected, they found, in
a locked desk, a large number of documents, including bills
of lading, official instructions, and so on ; and among the

G

98 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

latter a paper authorizing Don Pasquale to deliver over to
Don Martin Enriquez, the Viceroy of Mexico, at San Juan de
Ulua, the sum of one hundred thousand gold pezos, to be
used for payment of the troops and the expenses connected
with the government of the country. This was a prize indeed
worth having, and George at once proceeded to the cabin in
which the Don was confined, and apprising him of the discovery
of the document, demanded to be informed where the money
was to be found. But the Don flatly refused to supply the
information, admitting indeed that the treasure was aboard
the ship, but assuring George that it was so carefully concealed
that no one but himself would ever be able to lay hands upon
it. Whereupon George locked the door again, slipped the
key in his pocket, and sent for the carpenter and carpenter's
mate of the Nonsuch, with instructions to come aboard the
prize forthwith, bringing with them their tools.

George had a very shrewd suspicion that the money was
concealed somewhere down in the run of the ship, that being
the part of a vessel where treasure was usually stored, because
there it would be under the immediate care of the officers
and quite out of reach of the crew ; as soon, therefore, as the
carpenter and his mate joined them, the search party entered
the ship's lazarette and completely cleared it, sending all the
stores up on deck. Then, not finding any traces of the money,
they tore up the temporary decking, and not to dwell unduly
upon this incident, at length found the treasure, in ten stout,
iron-bound cases, very cunningly stowed away in a seciet
chamber constructed right down alongside the ship's keelson.
It was a difficult job to get the cases on deck, they being
heavy, and the space in which they were stowed very confined ;
but, of course, they managed it at last, and late in the after-
noon the whole was transferred to the Nonsuch and safely
stowed away in her treasure-room. Meanwhile, Dyer had
not been idle ; and when the transfer of the treasure had been
effected, and George was free to attend to other matters, the

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 99

pilot reported that all the arms, ammunition, and certain
pieces of ordnance, had been removed from the Santa Maria,
as well as the large quantity of wine, provisions, rope, canvas,
and other matters that might possibly prove useful in the
future, and that subject of course to George's approval — the
prize might now be abandoned. Whereupon, after carefully
perusing Dyer's detailed list of the matters transferred, George
issued orders that the boats of both ships were to be lowered
and the prisoners, wounded and unwounded, sent down into
them, after which the flotilla proceeded, under a flag of truce,
to the settlement, some two miles to windward, where the
Spaniards were landed. There was a tense moment when,
as the flotilla approached the wharf, a body of armed men,
numbering about a hundred, suddenly swung into view from
behind a cluster of buildings and marched down toward the
wharf as though intending to dispute the landing. But when
George, in his gig, pulled fearlessly ahead until he arrived
within hail — and within musket-shot — and announced the
object of his coming, adding that, if any treachery were attemp-
ted, his ship would bombard and utterly destroy the settle-
ment, the armed men were hurriedly marched back again out
of sight, and the landing of the prisoners was accomplished
without difficulty or interference.

By the time that the boats got alongside again, after landing
the prisoners, the sun was within an hour of setting, and if
the adventurers desired to reach the open sea again before
nightfall as they most assuredly did — it was time to bestir
themselves. George, therefore, issued his orders, and while
one party of his now pretty well exhausted crew manned
the capstan and proceeded to get the Nonsuch's anchor,
a second were set to work to pass a towing hawser aboard the
prize and make it fast ; after which the ships got under way,
the Santa Maria being in tow of the Nonsuch, and safely
accomplished the passage of the reef just as the sun's upper
rim was disappearing beneath the western horizon in a flaming

loo THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

I*

glory of gold and crimson. Then, as soon as the ships had
secured an offing of some three miles, rendering it exceedingly
unlikely that the prize would drive ashore and again fall into
the hands of her former crew, she was effectually set fire to
and abandoned. This done, the exhausted crew were sent
below to get a good substantial meal, and the deck was left
practically in charge of the officers, the helmsman and a couple
of hands to keep a look out being all of the crew who were
required to keep the deck until the regular night watches should
be resumed.

This opportunity was seized by George to explain to the
officers his more immediate plans. He reminded them that
the primary object of the expedition was to rescue his brother
from the Spaniards, and pointed out to them that since the
stroke of good fortune which had fallen to their lot, that day,
had made them masters of enough booty to ensure the financial
success of the expedition, there was now no reason why the
great object of the voyage should be further delayed, and
intimated his intention of heading the ship directly for San
Juan de Ulua. And this was at once agreed to, if not exactly
cheerfully, at least with a fairly good grace ; for there were
some on board the Nonsuch who, having seen how apparently
easy it was to obtain rich booty, would fain have had the ship
proceed leisurely along the coast, touching at La Guaira,
Porto Cabello, La Hacha, Santa Marta, Cartagena — in fact
at every spot along the Main where the Spaniards had esta-
blished themselves, holding the towns to ransom and acquiring
all the booty possible while working their way westward.
But George would have none of it, he had already acquired
quite as much booty as he desired to possess at that moment ;
for he wanted to keep his men keen, and he knew that nothing
saps a man's courage more, and makes him less willing to
engage in a desperate enterprise, than the possession of ample
means, and he feared that if he acquired too much treasure
before he had succeeded in finding and rescuing his brother,

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 101

the crew might insist upon abandoning the quest and returning
home to enjoy the fruit of their spoils. Therefore, as soon
as the south-western extremity of Margarita was cleared, the
ship's head was hauled up to west-north-west for the northern
extremity of the peninsula of Yucatan.

On the following forenoon a small island, the northern
extremity of which was studded with numerous outlying rocks,
was sighted ahead, and passed, close to the northward, about
an hour before noon ; and late on in the afternoon another and
somewhat larger island, grouped about with innumerable rocky
satellites, was sighted and passed to larboard. Then nothing
more was seen until, on the fifth day out from Margarita,
about an hour before midnight, the alarm was suddenly
raised that broken water appeared ahead, and the ship was
quickly brought to the wind, on the starboard tack, just in
time to avoid plunging headlong upon a reef projecting
from the northern extremity of a small island, of the existence

of which Dyer declared himself to be utterly ignorant. Luckily
for the adventurers, there was a half moon riding high in
the sky, which, together with Ihe highly phosphorescent state
of the sea, and the admirable look out which was being main-
tained by George's orders, enabled them to detect the danger
in time to avoid it.

Hastily summoned from his bunk, upon the occurrence of
the emergency, George ascended to the poop, and carefully
surveyed the situation. To the northward there appeared
what looked like the loom of high land, but if it was what it
appeared to be, it was sufficiently distant to be of no immediate
consequence, and the young commander scarcely favoured
it with a second glance ; it was his immediate surroundings
that most insistently claimed his immediate attention, for
as a matter of fact the ship had blundered up against what
is now known as the Pedro Bank and its cays, and there the
latter lay, not more than a mile to leeward of the ship, which
was already in discoloured water, with the sea breaking heavily

102 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH"

at no great distance to the north of her and all round four small
islets within easy distance of each other. Fortunately, the
weather was fine, and a very brief study of the situation
sufficed to convince St. Leger that the ship was not in any
danger, now that the islands had been seen and timely measures
taken to avoid running upon them. But the sight of them
had crystallised in his mind an idea that had been floating
there during the last few days, ever since they had left Mar-
garita, indeed, and he issued orders for sail to be reduced,
and for the ship to dodge to and fro to windward of the islets,
keeping them in sight until the morning. For he had suddenly
made up his mind to devote a few hours to the examination
of these islets by daylight, with the object of determining
their suitability as a hiding-place for the treasure which he now
had on board. He regarded it as altogether too valuable
to be risked in a fight with its accompanying possibilities of
capture, and he felt convinced, from occasional remarks which

had reached his ears, that all hands would fight with greater
freedom, and much easier minds, if they felt that, in the event
of a reverse, their loss would be confined to that of the ship,
and possibly their own freedom — strange to say, they were
quite willing to risk the latter, convinced that if they fell into
the hands of the enemy their loss of freedom would be but
temporary, but if they chanced to lose the treasure it would
be gone for ever.

Accordingly the ship dodged off and on during the remaining
hours of the night, and at daybreak George was called, and
at once proceeded into the foretop, accompanied by Dyer,
where the pair again carefully reconnoitred their surroundings.
From this elevation it was seen that the four islets occupied
the south-eastern extremity of a shoal, or bank, of somewhat
irregular shape, widening out from a point at its eastern
extremity, to a width of some twenty-five miles at the spot
occupied by the islets, and stretching away in a westerly
direction to the very verge of the horizon, and possibly farther

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 103

still. The four islets lay in a group, about four miles apart,
nearly equidistant from each other, and ran in a direction
approximately N.N.E., and S.S.W., the most southerly islet
standing quite close to the edge of the shoal. The one next
it to the northward, which was the largest of them all, was
only a very small affair, being about half a mile long by about a
quarter of a mile broad. But it was the northernmost islet that
chiefly appealed to George. All of them were low and shaggy
with stunted bush, but this one stood higher out of the water
than any of the others, being some twelve or fifteen feet high
at its highest part ; moreover it had a few coconut trees upon
it, which the others had not, and the young captain was quick
to see how usefully these might be employed as landmarks
in the event of his determining to bury the treasure there.
Accordingly, as soon as he and his companion had familiarised
themselves with the features of the place, George descended
to the deck and took command of the ship, leaving Dyer
perched aloft to act as pilot and con the ship to her anchorage.
Half an hour later the Nonsuch, having slid round the tail of
a reef that jutted out about half a mile from the southern
extremity of the island, clewed up her canvas and came to
an anchor at a distance of less than a quarter of a mile from
the beautifully smooth, sandy beach, and all hands went below
to breakfast.

As George more than half expected, there was a very
marked disposition to murmur and to betray strong dissatis-
faction when it came to be known that the captain had called a
halt at this little group of desolate, uninteresting islets with
the express object of burying the rich booty that had been
so easily acquired, some of the malcontents going so far as to
express aloud their firm conviction that when once the islets
had been lost sight of it would be impossible to ever find them
again. And such a fear was by no means ill-founded, for
it must be remembered that when George St. Leger embarked
upon his great adventure the science of navigation was in a

104 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

very different condition from what it now is. Latitude was
only determinable very roughly by means of one or another of
two crude instruments, one of which was called the astrolabe
and the other the cross staff, while there was no method of
determining the longitude at all, save by what is now known
as the " dead reckoning/' that is to say, a more or less careful
record of the courses steered and the distances sailed ; hence
when mariners ventured out of sight of land their only means
of reaching any desired point was to sail north or south until
they reached the latitude of their port, and then steer east or
west, as the case might be, until they arrived at their destina-
tion, this plan being further complicated by the intrusion of
obstacles in the shape of headlands and what not in the way.
But George St. Leger happened to be better equipped in this
respect than perhaps any other man of his time ; for as has
already been mentioned, he was a lad of ideas, and one of
those ideas was that there ought to be some way of ascertaining
the longitude of a ship, if one could but hit upon it ; and
further, that such a way having been found, a mariner
might fearlessly venture out of sight of land, remain out of
sight of it as long as he pleased, and go whither he pleased,
with the certainty of being able to find his way back again.
Then, with this postulate firmly fixed in his mind, he had set
himself to work in his leisure time to thrash out the question
of accurately determining the longitude of an unknown place
in relation to a known place. He was convinced that the
world was round, globular in shape, although there were many
learned men who disputed this assertion, and he also knew that
the world revolved on its own axis once in twenty-four hours.
Also he knew that when the sun, in the course of its apparent
passage round the earth, attained its highest point in the
heavens, it was noon at that place, and his astrolabe afforded

him the means of determining that moment. Then, still
following the train of thought connected with the earth's

diurnal revolution upon its axis whereby the sun was brought

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 105

to the meridian every day at noon, he had not much difficulty
in reasoning out the fact that it cannot possibly be noon at
any two or more places at the same moment unless they
happen to be situated on the same meridian, or, in other words,
are of the same longitude. From this to the assurance that
the difference in time between any two places was equivalent
to the difference in longitude between them was an easy step,
and led naturally enough to the next, which was that, if he
happened to possess a time-piece showing, say, the time at
Plymouth, he could, by comparing this with the moment of
noon somewhere else, as ascertained by his astrolabe, determine
the exact distance of that place east or west of Plymouth.
The rest was easy ; he went to a certain watchmaker in London
and ordered the best watch that could be made for money,
the cost of it absorbing most of his savings ; and this watch,
carefully regulated and rated, showing Plymouth time, he
took with him when he embarked upon his great adventure
in the Nonsuch, and by means of it he had succeeded in ascer-
taining pretty accurately the longitude of Barbados, Trinidad,
and Margarita, and intended also to ascertain the longitude
of the islet upon which he proposed to bury his treasure.
All this he explained to his crew as well as he could drive so
abstruse a matter into their thick heads, and although it is
more than doubtful whether any of them understood his ex-
planation, they understood at least that "the Cap'n" was
assuring them that he possessed some occult means of finding
the islets again, and with that they were fain to be satisfied.
It never occurred to them, poor souls, that if the captain lost
his watch, or allowed it to run down, his means of finding the
islets again would be gone, otherwise it is exceedingly unlikely
that they would ever have agreed to his taking the risk.

As soon as breakfast was over, one of the boats was lowered,
and George, accompanied by half a dozen men provided with
pickaxes and shovels, went ashore, to prepare a suitable hiding-
place for the treasure, while Dyer, and Heard, the purser,

io6 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

assisted by the sailrnaker, swathed the chest containing the
pearls in several folds of tarred canvas, the outer coat of all
being thickly smeared with pitch, in order to preserve the
delicate gems from injury through being buried in more or less
damp earth. The shore party had no difficulty in selecting
a suitable spot for the burial, the precise point being deter-
minable again at any time by a series of carefully taken and
equally carefully recorded cross bearings ; and by the time that
a hole of suitable dimensions and depth had been excavated,
a signal was flying on board the Nonsuch that all the pre-
parations there had been completed and that the treasure was
ready for removal, with the result that before the arrival of mid-
day the whole of the treasure was safely deposited in its hiding-
place, the soil shovelled back into the hole and well rammed
down, and all traces of the excavation carefully obliterated.
Then all hands returned to the ship just in time for George
to make his noontide observations for the determination of
the position of the islets. The anchor was then hove up and
the Nonsuch stood out to sea again, while, despite their cap-
tain's assurances to the contrary, most of the crew were more
than half convinced that they would never again set eyes
upon the treasure which they had taken so much trouble to
put out of sight.

Three uneventful days later land was sighted on the larboard
bow, and late in the afternoon the headland at the north-
eastern extremity of Yucatan peninsula was passed at a dis-
tance of some twelve miles, and the course was altered to due
west for the run along the northern coast of the peninsula.
It was near this spot that, just a year earlier, the squadron
under Captain Hawkins' command had encountered the two
successive hurricanes which had played such havoc with them
as to compel them to run to San Juan de Ulua to refit, with the
result that irremediable disaster had overtaken them ; and
Dyer, who had looked forward with considerable trepidation
to the time when he would again be called upon to sail those

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 107

treacherous seas, was loud in his thanksgivings for the good
fortune which had thus far attended them, for nothing could
be more satisfactory and delightful than the weather which the
voyagers were now experiencing, the only drawback to their
content being an unaccountably heavy sea into which they ran
about midnight, and which Dyer was inclined to regard as
the forerunner of the much dreaded hurricane. With the
passage of the hours, however, the violence of the sea mani-
fested a tendency to moderate, which caused the more ex-
perienced ones among the crew to arrive at the conclusion
that, instead of being the forerunner of a hurricane, the tur-
bulent sea was merely the aftermath of one which had very
recently blown itself out.

And this conclusion was abundantly verified on the following
day, for about mid-morning a floating object was sighted on
the starboard bow which, as the Nonsuch drew nearer, proved
to be the hull of a small ship, dismasted, floating low in the
water, and rolling horribly in the trough of the sea. Then,
as now, the sight of a ship in distress always appeals irresist-
ibly to the humanity of the British seaman,andno sooner was
the character of the floating object identified than the helm of
the Nonsuch was shifted and she was headed for the wreck.
Shortly afterwards the Spanish ensign was hoisted half-way up
the ensign staff of the stranger, thus declaring not only her
nationality but also that she was in distress, a fact which was
sufficiently obvious to all with eyes to see.

When the Nonsuch had arrived within about a mile of the
heavily labouring craft, George ordered sail to be shortened,
and announced to his officers his intention to stand by the
wreck until the sea should moderate sufficiently to enable
boats to be lowered, when he would take off the crew, and
every preparation was made accordingly. The English ship
was so manceuvred as to enable her to pass athwart the
stranger's stern and heave-to close under the lee of the latter ;
and presently, as the space between the two craft rapidly

108 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

narrowed, George was enabled to distinguish, painted in
large letters, the name Dona Catalina. Springing into the
weather main rigging of his own ship, the young commander
waited until but a few fathoms separated the two vessels,
and he was able to clearly distinguish the features of the
three men who were clinging desperately to the shattered
poop bulwark rail of the wreck, and then, with his hand
placed trumpet-wise to his mouth as he stood with his back
supported by the rigging, he hailed in Spanish :

" Ho ! the Catalina, ahoy ! Do you wish to be taken off ? "
" Si, Sefior, si, si, ,} answered a short, stout, black-bearded
individual who formed one of the trio on the stranger's poop,
" we are full of water and sinking. Take us off, for the love
of God ! We have pumped until we can pump no more, our
strength being completely exhausted, and the leak is gaining
on us rapidly."

"Very well," returned George. "I will remain near you
until the sea goes down sufficiently to launch a boat. Until
then you must do the best you can."

"But, Sefior," shrieked the black-bearded one, "if you
wait until then it will be too late. It will be hours before the
sea goes down enough to permit of a boat being launched, and
meanwhile our ship is filling fast. Cannot you devise some
means of taking us off at once ? See how we are rolling, and
how the sea is breaking over us! Every moment I am in
fear that a heavier sea than usual will strike us and roll our
vessel completely over. Holy Mother of God ! Do not leave
us to drown like rats in a trap, Sefior ! "

But by this time the two craft had drifted so far apart that
further speech just then was impossible, and as George de-
scended from the rigging he gave orders to fill the main topsail
and get way on the ship again. Then he ascended to the poop
and joined Dyer, who was already there.

" Well, Cap'n, what be us gohV to do ? " demanded the pilot,

whose knowledge of Spanish was just sufficient to enable

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 109

him to gather the drift of what had passed. " Shall us wait
a bit longer, and chance the hooker stayhV right side up till
the sea do go down a bit more ; or shall us try to launch a boat ?
I don't doubt but what, if us watches carefully and works
quickly, we can get a boat atloat and unhooked ; but us couldn't
get alongside the wrack to take her people off — they'd have
to jump overside and trust to we to pick mun up. Then how
would us all get out of the boat afterwards and get mun
hoisted up again ? But it do surely look to me as though we
must do some' at pretty soon, because I don't believe as that
wrack' 11 last so very much longer. Look to mun, how her do
roll, and look how the sea do breach her ! There must be tons
o' water a-pouring down into her hold every minute, and —
Lard be merciful — there a goeth. She be turnin' over now,
as I'm a livin' — No, no ; 't is all right ; her be rightin' again,
but Cap'n, her can't live much longer to that rate/'

" Ko t }> agreed George, who, like Dyer, had been breathlessly
watching the outrageous antics of the waterlogged craft,
and had seen how very nearly she had come to capsizing as the
sea flung her up and hove her over on her beam ends — " I'm
afraid she cannot. As you say, something must be done if we
are to save those poor wretches ; but the only thing that I can
think of is to at least make the attempt to launch a boat. We
will get to windward of the wreck, and then, everything having
been previously made ready, we will lower a boat and — if we
can get away without being stove — run down to the wreck
in the ' smooth ' of the Nonsuch's lee ; get under the lee of
the wreck ; and her people must jump overboard, two or three
at a time, and trust to us to pick them up. I will take com-
mand of the boat, and as soon as you see us safely under the
lee of the wreck you must fill and keep away, pass to leeward
of the wreck, and heave-to as close to her as you can, when we
will come round under your lee and get the people aboard
one at a time by means of a " whip " from the lee mainyard
arm, trusting to luck for the chance to get the boat aboard

110 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

again without smashing her to staves. Now try her about,
Dyer; I think we ought to be able to fetch well to windward
of her now. And I believe the starboard quarter boat will
be the easiest to lower and unhook."

CHAPTER VII

HOW THEY CJti&E TO SAN JUAN DZ ULUA

Having explained to Dyer his proposed scheme of operations,
George left to the pilot the task of attending to the necessary
manoeuvring of the ship, and, going forward, called for four
volunteers to go with him in the boat to handle her and assist,
if it might be, in saving the unfortunate crew of the Spanish
ship. As he had anticipated, he met with no difficulty in
obtaining a sufficient number of men for his purpose, four of
his old Bonaventure's at once stepping forward at his call.

Directing these men to follow him, he then returned aft to

where the boat he intended to use hung swinging from
the davits and, pointing to her, instructed his volunteers to
enter her, remove the plug from her bottom to allow all
the water to run out of her, and, while this was doing, pass out
the masts, sails, and all other gear not absolutely required in
the execution of the task which the intrepid quintette were
about to undertake. Then, these things being done, the plug
was returned to its place and driven well home, the oars were
unlashed, the thole pins shipped, the tackle falls well greased,
the coils cast off the belaying pins, and every preparation
made for the delicate operation of launching. While these
matters were being attended to the young captain stood look-
ing on, directing the men's movements, and pondering upon
the difficulty which he foresaw in connection with the quick
release of the boat from her tackles as soon as she should
become water-borne. It was absolutely necessary that this
should be infallibly accomplished at precisely the right instant,

H2 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

otherwise there was the risk on the one hand of the boat
being smashed to staves by being violently dashed against the
side of the heavily rolling ship; or, upon the other, of her being
released at one end only, in which case the unreleased end of
the boat would be lifted high out of the water again by the
counter roll of the ship and her crew all flung into the water.

Suddenly he saw his way clear ; the solution of the difficulty
had come to him, and he issued his orders rapidly, for time
was pressing, the Nonsuch had been hove about, and was now
bearing down to take up a position just to windward of the
wreck. First of all, the boat was temporarily slung by stout
ropes from the davit ends ; then the tackles were let go and
unhooked. Next, two stout rope strops were passed through
the ringbolts by which the boat was suspended from the
tackles and one bight passed through the other and secured in
place by a well greased toggle, or piece of wood capable of
being easily and quickly withdrawn ; and finally the bights
thus formed were passed over the hooks of the blocks, the
tackles, were boused taut and made fast again, and the tem-
porary supports were cast off, thus leaving the boat once more
suspended by the tackles. George explained the device to
the men, and when he was satisfied that they perfectly under-
stood the working of it, ordered them into the boat, himself
following them and stationing himself at the craft's tiller, when
a short wait occurred during which the Nonsuch was working
her way toward the position necessary for the success of the
experiment which was about tc be made.

At length the critical moment arrived ; the Nonsuch rolled
and plunged, with creaking timbers and groaning yards, up
to windward of and some fifty fathoms distant from the
wallowing Spaniard, and, the mainyard having been backed
with perfect judgment by Dyer, came to a standstill exactly
abreast the dismasted hulk, thus affording a lee and compara-
tively smooth water in which her boat might make a dash for
the wreck ; then, taking advantage of a heavy lee roll, the

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 113

boat was very smartly lowered away upon an even keel, and
struck the water with a resounding splash.

" Let go ! " yelled George, as he felt the boat take the water,
and prompt at the word the two men who were stationed at the
tackles drew the well-greased toggles, releasing the boat, oars
were thrown out, and away dashed the boat right down to
leeward, heading to pass under the stern of the wreck and
come up in the comparatively sheltered water under her lee.
The passage was but a short one, and some three minutes
later the small craft, tossed buoyantly aloft upon the great
foaming surges, had safely passed under the stern of the Dona
Catalina and rounded-to under her lee. Then the Nonsuch,
which had by this time driven down perilously near to the
wreck, filled away again and just managed to handsomely
draw clear.

The three Spaniards were still clinging for their lives to
the broken bulwarks, and as George looked up he caught a
momentary glimpse of some seven or eight other heads peering
over the rail down in the vessel s waist ; but there was nothing
to indicate that anything had been done by those on board
to help those who were risking their own lives to save theirs.
There was no time for argument or discussion, however; there-
fore George simply hailed the trio on the poop, tersely ex-
plaining that he dared not attempt to lay the boat alongside,
and that consequently those who were anxious to have a
chance for life must simply jump overboard and trust to those
in the boat to pick them up. And at the same time he directed
the two bow oarsmen to lay in their oars and hold themselves
ready to pick up those who cared to jump while the other two
oarsmen paddled the boat up as close to the heaving and stag*
gering wreck as it was prudent to go.

Then ensued a long and heated debate among the Spaniards
themselves, not one of whom seemed to possess the courage
necessary to trust himself even momentarily to the raging sea,
during which the crew of the boat patiently maintained their

H

114 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

position within a fathom or so of the wallowing hulk ; but at

length some sort of a decision seemed to have been arrived at,
for the short, stout, black-bearded man suddenly made his
appearance at the gangway, grasping a handspike, and,
having first inquired whether those in the boat were ready,
and receiving an affirmative reply, sprang outward, feet
foremost. He struck the water within less than half a fathom
of the boat, vanished beneath the surface for a moment, and
reappeared, coughing and spitting, still convulsively clutching
the handspike, close enough to enable those in the boat to
instantly seize him by the collar and haul him in over the
gunwale, none the worse for his plunge and dip. He was at
once hustled aft into the stern sheets, out of the way, and his
rescue had been effected with such absolute promptitude and
simplicity that there was now no further hesitation on the
part of those left behind, who, one after another, presented
themselves at the gangway, some provided with handspikes,
some with oars, and one or two with short lengths of planking,
or a grating, and leaped, with the courage of desperation, into
the swirling foam, to the number of just a dozen. Then, as
no more appeared, George inquired where the remainder were ;
upon which the black-bearded man, after counting heads,
informed him that all the living had now left the ship, the rest
of the crew having been either killed or washed overboard
when the ship became dismasted.

And now came the most difficult part of the whole under-
taking, namely, getting the boat and its cargo safe aboard the
parent ship. The Nonsuch was just then about a mile distant
from the derelict, hove-to on the larboard tack, awaiting a

signal from George indicating that the rescue had been
effected and that he was now ready to make the great attempt.
That signal was now made by lashing a handkerchief to the
end of a boathook and waving it wildly in the air ; upon
seeing which, Dyer, who had been manoeuvring the ship with
the most consummate judgment, filled upon her and brought

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 115

her close up under the derelict's lee. Then, and not until
then, George gave the word, and the now heavily loaded boat,
floating deep in the water, headed out from under the sheltering
lee of the derelict, made a d?sh across the short space of
turbulent surges that separated her from the Nonsuch, accom-
plished the passage safely, slipped round under the stern of
the ship, now once more hove-to on the larboard tack, and
rounded to in the comparative " smooth " of her lee.

But now that she was there, how were the people to be
got out of her ? For it was just as dangerous to attempt to
lay her alongside the Nonsuch as it had been to make the same
attempt with the Dona Catalina. But Dyer had seen to this ;
for while the boat had been absent on her errand of mercy the
pilot had ordered a block to be lashed to the starboard main-
yard-arm, a whip rove through it, a boatswain's chair made fast
to the end of the whip, and a hauling line bent on to the boat-
swain's chair; and when the boat ranged up under the
Nonsuch's lee, there was the whole apparatus dangling in the
air, ready to effect the transfer. To manoeuvre the boat under
it and to lower the chair into the boat was an easy matter,
when all that remained was for a man to get into the contriv-
ance and be hoisted aloft and hauled into safety. The transfer
of the twelve rescued Spaniards was safely accomplished
in considerably less than an hcur ; and now all that remained
was to hook on the boat and hoist her up to the davits. Yes ;
that was all ; but it was the most difficult and delicate part
of the whole undertaking; yet the seamanship of George
and Dyer proved equal to the task, and another quarter of
an hour saw the boat once more safely dangling at the davits,
with scarcely a scratch on her paint to show what a trying
ordeal she had passed through, and the Nonsuch was again
speeding away to the westward, leaving the derelict to her not
long delayed fate.

The quarter boat safely hoisted, George at once turned his
attention to his guests. The black-bearded man, it appeared,

n6 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

was the captain of the ill-fated Dona Catalina, and he intro-
duced himself as simply Captain Robledo Martinez, without
the pretentious prefix of "Don" or anything else. Him,
George took under his own wing, orderin f a cot to be slung
for him down on the half-deck, with a scieen of canvas triced
up round it to insure privacy. The poor fellow, like all the
rest of the rescued Spaniards, had, of course, only the clothes
that he stood up in, and they were dripping wet ; but, for-
tunately, the Nonstick was well provided in the matter of slop
chests, and Captain Martinez, together with the other survivors
of the Dona Catalina, was soon rigged afresh.

It transpired that the Spanish vessel was on her way from
Cartagena to San Juan de Ulua, with despatches to the Viceroy
of Mexico, when she encountered the hurricane that had
overwhelmed her, and that, before being rescued, her crew
had been exposed to the full fury of the elements for twenty-six
hours, in momentary expectation that the vessel would
founder under their ieet ; they were therefore given a warm
meal, and then dispatched below to make up their arrears of
rest and recover from the exhaustion induced by prolonged
exposure.

But the conjunction of the names Cartagena and San Juan
de Ulua, casually mentioned by Martinez in his brief conver-
sation with George before retiring below, set the young English-
man thinking hard. The conjunction was suggestive, to say
the least of it ; for Cartagena was the city from which the
plate fleet convoy started upon its annual long ocean voyage
to Spain, accompanied by the Cartagena contingent of plate
ships, with which it proceeded to Nombre de Dios — regarded
as "The Treasure-House of the World" — to take charge of
the ships which proceeded thence annually, loaded with treasure
of incalculable value for the replenishment of the Spanish
coffers ; while from thence the combined fleet was wont to
proceed to San Juan, there to be joined by the ships carrying
the Mexican contribution of treasure, of scarcely less value

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 117

than that shipped from Nombre. George St. Leger had not
been for so many months intimately associated with Dyer,
the pilot of the expedition, and a survivor of the disaster which
had overtaken Admiral John Hawkins at San Juan de Ulua
only a year previously, without hearing all about the twelve
large treasure galleons which the Devonians had found lying
defenceless in the harbour of that city when they arrived there,
torn and shattered by such a hurricane as that which had
reduced the Dona Catalina to a waterlogged and sinking hulk,
and he wondered whether perchance it might be his good
fortune to find another such fleet in the harbour upon his
arrival there. If so — well, Admiral Hawkins had spared the
treasure which he found there, for the best of all reasons,
namely, that his own ships were in no condition to engage in a
fight with the shore batteries, which it would be necessary
to silence before he could seize the plate ships, while, on the
other hand, it was imperative that he should enter the harbour

to refit, and he could not do so without the consent of the
Spanish authorities ; therefore he had been obliged to sign
a convention whereby in consideration of his receiving per-
mission to refit in peace and without hindrance, he was to
leave the plate ships unmolested. Hawkins had scrupulously
adhered to his part of the agreement, but the Spaniards had
deliberately broken theirs ; and George was determined that
now they should dearly pay for their treachery, if Dame
Fortune would but favour him. He talked the matter over,
first with Dyer, and then they together discussed it with
Basset, the captain of the soldiers, and Heard, the purser ;
with the result that it was unanimously agreed among them
that they would make a determined attempt upon the fleet,
if it should happen to be in harbour upon their arrival.

But, in order to insure the success of their daring project,
it was necessary that they should be possessed of the fullest
information possible ; therefore when Martinez came on deck
that evening, after several hours of refreshing sleep, George

il8 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

k

informed the unfortunate man, in a perfectly friendly way, that
he and the survivors of his crew were prisoners ; and demanded
to know what had become of the despatches with which he
had been entrusted. Martinez, who proved to be quite a simple
straightforward sailor, at once replied that he had them in
his pocket ; and upon St. Leger demanding them he handed
them over with merely a formal protest ; whereupon George
found himself possessed of a small packet carefully enveloped
in several folds of oiled silk in which the honest skipper had
wrapped them prior to jumping overboard, when escaping
from his wrecked ship.

Of course George opened the despatches forthwith, to find
that they consisted, for the most part, of documents which
possessed no interest at all for him ; but there was one letter
which furnished him with precisely the information that it
was most important for him to possess. It was from the
Governor of the city of Cartagena, and was addressed to " His
Excellency Don Martin Enriquez, Viceroy of his Most Catholic
Majesty's Province of Mexico, etc., etc., etc./' and was to the
effect that, news having reached the writer from Lima that an
epidemic of sickness had broken out among a large body of
soldiers due to return home with that year's plate fleet, the
sailing of the Lima contingent had been postponed, to allow
time for the epidemic to exhaust itself ; and that therefore
the departure of the convoy from Cartagena had likewise
been postponed. The object of this letter, the writer went
on to say, was to acquaint His Excellency with the fact of,
and reason .or, the delay, that he might not be rendered
unduly anxious, through the non-arrival of the convoy ; and
to request that on no account should the plate ships be allowed
to proceed to sea until the arrival of the convoy under the
protection of which they were to make the homeward voyage.
Which meant, as George pointed out to his officers when he
translated the document to them, that upon their arrival at
San Juan de Ulua, they would assuredly find a certain number

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " n 9

of plate ships in the harbour, laden with treasure, and quite
defenceless, save for such protection as the shore batteries
might be able to afford. It was the chance of a lifetime, if they
could but render those shore batteries innocuous ; and an
informal council of war was at once held in the great state
cabin of the Nonsuch to decide how this most desirable end
might be achieved.

To start with, Dyer, who was the only man among them
who had ever been in the harbour of San Juan de Ulua, was
furnished with pencil and paper, and commanded to draw
a chart of the place, to scale, as nearly as he could, from
memory ; and after half an hour's arduous labour — for chart
drawing was not one of Dyer's strong points — he produced a
sketch that, rough as it was, promised to be of the utmost
value to the adventurers. For it showed how, owing to the
conformation of the land, Hawkins, with his small squadron,
had, a year ago, been able to keep the whole of the Spanish
fleet from entering the harbour until he had concluded an
agreement with the treacherous Viceroy to permit them to do
so ; and how a small, well found fleet outside might, if not
driven off by bad weather, effectually blockade the port and
prevent the escape of all shipping from it. Further than that,
it disclosed to the more acute perceptions of George and Basset,
the fact, which Dyer's denser intellect had failed to grasp,
that the much dreaded batteries had been mainly constructed,
not so much to defend the place from an attack by sea, but
to render a land attack by Indians practically impossible.
For if the chart were correctly drawn and Dyer was very
straitly questioned upon this particular point it showed
that there was a certain spot in the harbour where, if a ship
were moored, she would be sheltered from the fire of both
batteries while at the same time the entire town, which,
after all, was but a very small place, would be fully exposed
to the artillery fire of the ship. Once completely satisfied
upon this point, St. Leger and Basset believed they saw their

120 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

way to the capture and subjugation of the town, and laid
their plans accordingly.

Three days later, shortly after noon, they made the land and,
as soon as Dyer had verified his bearings, hove-to for the night,
some ten miles offshore and well out of sight of the town,
the day being by then too far advanced to permit of decisive
action. But with the first appearance of dawn on the follow-
ing day, sail was made, and the Nonsuch stood boldly into
San Juan de Ulua harbour and came to an anchor in the spot
previously determined upon, where, as Dyer's chart had
indicated, she was safe from the fire of the two batteries which
had been constructed to defend the northern and southern
extremities of the town, which were its most vulnerable points,
from a land attack. Twelve large plate ships were riding
at anchor in the harbour, of which ten appeared to be fully
loaded, while cargo was being actively transferred from the
shore to the other two when the English ship ran in and
anchored between them and the shore.

The appearance of the Nonsuch in the harbour was im-
mediately productive of something very nearly approaching
to panic, both in the town and on board the plate ships ;
for she had entered with the cross of St. George flaunting
from her ensign staff, and the first impression of the Spaniards
was that their dreaded enemy, Drake, had returned ; the
bells of the cathedral clanged out a wild alarm ; and it was
seen that the crews of some of the plate ships were making
hasty preparations to get under way, with the evident object
of attempting to escape to the open sea. This last, of course,
had to be at once put a stop to ; therefore the moment that
the anchor was down, George caused a boat to be lowered,
and, with its crew armed to the teeth, pulled round the Spanish
fleet, hailing each ship belonging to it, and informing the
captains that any ship seen to be getting under way would
at once be fired into and sunk. This threat, backed up as it
was by the display of the English ship's ordnance, had the

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 121

desired effect, and there were no further attempts at flight
just then on the part of the plate ships.

George's next act was to send Captain Martinez, of the
wrecked Dona Catalina, ashore in one of the Nonsuch's boats,
under a flag of truce. The captain was handed his dispatches,
and was instructed to either deliver or forward them to the
persons to whom they were addressed ; and he was also given
a letter addressed to the governor or chief magistrate of the
town, summoning that functionary, together with twelve
of the most influential inhabitants of the place, to a conference
on board the English ship, upon a matter of vital import ;
the conference to begin not later than noon that day ; the
penalty of non-attendance being the bombardment of the town.
Then, every preparation having been made to carry into effect
the threatened bombardment, the English sat down and
patiently awaited developments.

Half an hour before the expiration of the specified time a
large boat, flying a flag of truce, was seen to leave the wharf,
and some ten minutes later she came up to within a few
fathoms of the Nonsuch gangway, when it was seen that, in
addition to eight oarsmen, she carried in her stern sheets
thirteen men, most of whom had passed beyond middle age,
while all were, in appearance at least, and so far as dress was
concerned, men of position and substance.

Arrived within easy hailing distance, the oarsmen ceased
their efforts at a sign from the man at the tiller, and an elderly
individual, attired in what might be supposed to be robes of
office, rose to his feet and, doffing his plumed hat, bowed to
the little group of officers mustered on the ship's poop. Then,

hat in hand, he remarked :

" Noble senors, I am Juan Alvarez, the alcalde of San Juan
de Ulua, very much at your service ; and in response to your
somewhat imperatively worded letter I and my fellow towns-
men have come out to confer with you. But before we board
your ship I should like to ask you just one question. I see

122 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

by your flag that you are English. Come you in peace, or in

t>

war, senors ?

" That/' answered George, stepping forward, " is for you
and your fellow townsmen to decide. But meanwhile I give
you the assurance of an Englishman who has never yet broken
his word to friend or foe, that you may come aboard without
fear, and that when our conference is at an end you shall all
be permitted to return to the shore without molestation
unless it becomes apparent that hostages are necessary."

The old gentleman bowed and, still with his hat in his hand,
ventured upon a further inquiry. " And pray, noble senor,
who is to determine whether or not hostages are regarded as
necessary ? " he demanded.

"I and my officers will determine that point," answered
George. "But," he continued, "I give you the further
assurance that, should we decide upon the necessity to retain
any of you as hostages, their persons will be as safe, and they
will be treated with as much honour, on board this ship, as
in their own houses unless treachery of any kind be attempted,
in which case I will hang them at my yard-arms as a wholesome
warning to others."

This statement caused the utmost perturbation to the
alcalde and his companions, as might easily be seen, for they
all at once started to their feet and burst into excited conver-
sation. But, as is usual in such cases, there were two or three
whom the alcalde was one — who soon obtained an ascend-
ency over the rest, quieting them and themselves carrying on
the discussion ; and after some ten minutes of earnest debate
the rest sat down, leaving the alcalde standing alone to pro-
pound a still further question.

" Illustrious senor," he said, addressing himself to George,
" my companions and I feel that, before we proceed further,
or place ourselves altogether in your power, it is very necessary
that we should know what acts you would be likely to construe
as treachery on our part."

I

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 123

"The reply to such a question is not difficult," replied
George. " We should regard as an act of treachery any attempt
on the part of either of those ships to put to sea ; and also
any attempt to attack us at disadvantage and without due
warning, such as was perpetrated last year, in this very har-
bour, on my countryman, Admiral Hawkins."

This answer was received with much shaking of heads and
uplifting of hands, followed by further eager consultation and
debate, which ended at last by the alcalde putting a further
and final question :

" And, in the event of our refusing to board your ship under
such conditions, senor, what will happen ? "

" You will be permitted to return to the shore without
molestation," answered George. "But," he continued, "as
soon as you shall have arrived and are landed, I shall seize
every ship in this harbour ; and, that done, shall proceed
to bombard your town until you see fit to surrender it to me
unconditionally ! "

More perturbation, more shaking of heads and agitated
waving of hands, followed by further excited discussion lasting
for close upon a quarter of an hour, after which the alcalde,
standing in the midst of his companions and again addressing
himself to George, observed :

" Most illustrious senor, we, the alcalde and twelve of the
representatives of the inhabitants of the city of San Juan de
Ulua, have decided to rely upon your assurances, and now
declare ourselves ready to board your ship, there to listen with
all deference and attention to such communication as you may
desire to make to us." And therewith the old gentleman,
bowing with much dignity, seated himself, replaced his hat,
and gave an order to the steersman of the boat, who repeated
it to the oarsmen ; whereupon the boat got under way and
pulled up alongside to where the gangway ladder already
hung over the side for the accommodation of the Committee.
And while this was doing, George, followed by his little knot

124 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

of officers, descended from the poop to the main deck and
grouped themselves about the gangway in readiness to receive
their by no means willing visitors.

Don Juan Alvarez, the alcalde of San Juan de Ulua, was the
first to ascend the side and pass through the Nonsuch's gang-
way, when, again removing his hat and bowing profoundly

to the little group of Englishmen, he stood aside until his
twelve companions had joined him, when he proceeded to
ceremoniously introduce them, one after the other, until he
had named them all. Then George followed suit in like
fashion, first introducing himself and then each of his officers
to the group of visitors.

This ceremony duly performed, the alcalde once more took
up the tale.

" Most illustrious senors," he said, bowing to the Englishmen
collectively, "touching the exceedingly delicate matter of
treachery, you have the assurance of myself and colleagues
that, so far as the city is concerned, you may absolutely depend
that nothing of an overt nature shall be permitted to occur
until an understanding of some sort — an amicable one, we all
trust — shall have been arrived at between us. But with regard
to the ships in the harbour, we feel that we cannot undertake
to be answerable for the conduct of their captains and crews,
since we have had no opportunity to communicate with them ;
we therefore venture to suggest that, in order to avoid anything
in the nature of an untoward event, I, as chief magistrate,
be permitted to write and dispatch to each ship an order em-
bodying the instructions contained in the communication
received by me, through your courtesy, this morning, from
the governor of Cartagena."

" Or, perhaps, what would be still better," replied George,
" I would advise that you write an open order to the captain
and chief officer of each ship, commanding their immediate
presence here. I will then place them in honourable confine-
ment until our negotiations are concluded, when we will, of

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 125

course, release them. By adopting such a course I think
we may make quite sure that none of them, through mistaken
zeal, will do anything to interrupt the smooth course of our
rather delicate negotiations. What say you ? "

The idea at once strongly commended itself to the party,
who, it was quite evident, were more deeply interested in the
preservation of their own skins than in anything else, and
who, it was equally evident, were mortally afraid that some
over-zealous individual might be tempted to do something for
which this stern-faced young Englishman would hold them
accountable ; accordingly the order was written in the cabin
of the Nonsuch, summoning the commanding officers and
their immediate subordinates to at once assemble on board
the English ship to assist in the arrangement of a matter of
vital importance to themselves and the city ; and when it
had been submitted to and approved by George and his
officers, the alcalde's boat was despatched with instructions
to go the round of the plate ship fleet, show the order, and
bring the officers back upon her return. That done, refresh-
ments — including a liberal service of wine taken out of the
Santa Maria — were placed upon the table in the state cabin,
and the alcalde and his companions were invited to partake
thereof pending the arrival of the men from the ships ; but
they were much too anxious to do justice to the viands spread
before them, and would fain have forthwith proceeded to the
business which they had been summoned to discuss. But
George refused to say a word until the officers of the plate
ships were safe under hatches ; and a long interval now
elapsed during which the anxiety and apprehension of the
alcalde and his associates visibly increased, which was precisely
the effect that the astute young captain desired to produce.
At length, however, certain sounds from the deck outside
reached the ears of those in the cabin, announcing the arrival
of the men from the fleet, while other sounds, especially those
of Spanish voices raised high in angry protest, proclaimed, a

126 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

little later, that the new arrivals were being conducted below
somewhat against their will ; and finally Dyer appeared in
the doorway with the information that the Spanish sailors
had been taken below and were safe under guard ; whereupon
George rose to his feet and, addressing his visitors in his best
Spanish, said :

"Now, sehors, every precaution that we could think of
has been taken to insure the undisturbed discussion of the
business which has brought me and my compatriots to San
Juan de Ulua; with your permission, therefore, we will
proceed/'

CHAPTER VIII

How George proceeded to deal with the Authorities

of San Juan

An uneasy stir among his audience followed this brief intro-
duction, showing clearly the highly-wrought condition of
the Spaniards' nerves as they leaned forward in their seats
and fixed their eyes intently upon the speaker's face. To
still further increase the tension betrayed in the faces and
attitudes of his audience, George paused impressively for a
few seconds, and then resumed :

"A year ago," said he, " seven ships, storm torn and
shattered, put into this harbour in order to refit. They were
manned by Englishmen, fellow countrymen of my own and
those with me. They had been engaged in lawful and peaceful
trade with various ports along the Main, and entered this
harbour with the utmost confidence, secure in the conviction
that, having committed no offence, they might implicitly rely
upon Spanish honour. When they arrived, they found twelve
defenceless plate ships, laden with gold and silver, in the
harbour ; and had they been so disposed my countrymen
could have seized those ships, or as many of them as they
chose to take, and sailed away in them, leaving their own
damaged craft behind them ; and nobody could have said
them nay. But my countrymen were traders, not pirates ;
and great though the temptation must have been, they left
those galleons alone, asking only the hospitality of your
harbour and permission to refit their ships without molesta-
tion, Also when, upon the day after the arrival of the English

127,

128 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

ships, the remainder of your plate fleet and its convoy appeared
off this port, my countrymen could have kept them outside,
had they so chosen, with the result that every ship would
have been lost in the next gale that might arise. You knew,
as well as did my own countrymen, the tremendous risk and
peril to which those enormously rich ships would have been
exposed, had they been prevented from entering the harbour ;
and you hastened to arrange a convention with the English
whereby your own ships were to be permitted to enter the
port, while the English were to be allowed to refit their vessels
without hindrance or molestation. Is all this true, senors,
or have I misstated any part of the story, so far ? "

George paused for a reply ; but for a full minute or more
there was no response. Then at last the alcalde slowly rose
to his feet and stretching forth his right hand deprecatingly
toward the young captain, said :

" Most illustrious senor, all that you have said is absolutely
true. But before "

" Pardon, seiior," interrupted George. " I have not yet
finished. When I have done so I shall be quite prepared to
listen courteously and with patience to whatever you may
be pleased to say.

" In accordance with the terms of that convention the
English were permitted to work for three days at the dis-
mantling of their ships in preparation for the work of refitting

and then, sehors, without a word or hint of warning, at the
very instant when they were least able to defend themselves,
you treacherously fell upon them ; with the result that more
than three hundred Englishmen were slain, four of their ships
were either captured or destroyed, many Englishmen were
taken prisoners, and the residue were driven to sea in their
least dismantled ships, short of food and water, to sink or
swim as the fates might decide. One of the ships which
effected her escape afterward sank, and with her went the
entire proceeds of the voyage, while the other two, riddled

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 129

and torn by Spanish shot, treacherously fired, only reached
England after a voyage of incredible difficulty, toil, and
suffering. Now, sefiors, the object of my visit to San Juan
de Ulua is to avenge that treacherous attack upon my fellow-
countrymen, to exact ample compensation therefor and for
all the loss and suffering attendant upon it, and to demand
the release of those who fell into your hands upon that occa-
sion. If you have aught to urge by way of excuse for, or
justification of, your treachery, I am willing to hear it and
give it my most careful consideration."

Again silence, tense and electric, prevailed in the cabin at
the conclusion of the young English captain's indictment, the
alcalde and his companions staring helplessly at one another
as each groped for something, some sign or suggestion, upon
which to frame a reply to the charges which they knew only
too well to be true. At length one of the party, seemingly
unable to any longer endure the tension, rose slowly to his feet
and, addressing George, said :

" Sehor Capitano, it is not possible for us to deny the truth
of the charges which you have brought against us ; to our
shame and sorrow we are obliged to admit that all you have
said is only too true. Yet, sehor, in self-defence, I submit
that, individually, none of us who are here assembled is to
blame for the occurrence to which you have referred, and
therefore I contend that you cannot, in justice, hold us, or
any one of us, responsible for it. We, who now sit here in
the cabin of your ship, were all present in San Juan de Ulua
when the attack upon your countrymen took place, and I am
confident that I am expressing the opinion of my fellow-
citizens as well as of myself in saying that we one and all
deplored and were ashamed oi it, and would have prevented
it, had it been possible. But, sehor, the citizens of San Juan
had no voice in the matter ; we were not consulted ; we were
not even informed of what was about to happen ; the whole
affair was the conception of his Excellency the Viceroy, and

I

130 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

»>

the attack was organised and carried out at his instigation
and order by the military and naval forces under his com-
mand ; the citizens took no part in it, so far as I am aware ;
or, if any of them did so, it was only the comparatively few
lawless ones who are to be found in every community. There-
fore, senor, I contend that your quarrel, which I admit to
be just, is not with the peaceful and law-abiding citizens of
San Juan, but with his Excellency the Viceroy, who ordered
the attack, and the military and naval officials who carried

it out."
A low murmur of approval and agreement ran round the

assembly as the speaker resumed his seat, and then there
ensued a pause while George waited to see whether anyone
else had anything to say. Presently, in response to the glance
of inquiry with which he regarded the various members of
the assemblage, first one and then another arose and briefly
remarked that he fully concurred in what his compatriot had
so well said, until nearly, if not quite, all had expressed
approval.

" Very well, sehors," responded George, when at length he
found that no one had anything to add, *' I am willing to
accept your collective assurance that the citizens of San Juan
as a whole are guiltless of all participation in, or approval of,
the treacherous and unjustifiable attack upon my countrymen
of which I complain ; therefore it follows that the local repre
sentatives of the Spanish Gcvernment are the responsible
parties, and it is with them that I must settle the account.
As I have already informed you, I am here to demand the
fullest and most ample reparation for the outrage of which
I complain, and for all loss and damage attendant upon it ;
and I ask you, do you think it in the least degree probable
that the Viceroy will peaceably concede my demands ? If
he will not, I shall exact them by force of arms ; and in that
case I warn you all that it will be very difficult, if not indeed
impossible, for me to discriminate between public and private

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " i 3 r

property; it will therefore be for you, senor" — bowing to
the alcalde — " to use your best efforts to induce the Viceroy
and those under him to arrange an amicable settlement with
me ; for otherwise it may be necessary for me to, among other
measures, bombard your town ! "

"Nay, nay, sehor ; not that, not that, I pray you!*'
exclaimed the alcalde, starting to his feet in great agitation.
"Think, most Illustrious, think of the many innocent lives,
of the women and children, who must inevitably perish if
you resort to such a bar — such a — an — extreme measure as
that which you threaten/'

" I do think of it, senor alcalde," answered George ; " but
1 think also of my fellow-countrymen who died here as a
consequence of Spanish treachery, and also of those others
who are at this moment lying captive and pining in your
dungeons ; and the latter thoughts render me inflexible. I
will not fire a single shot at your town if I can help it ; and it
must be your task, senor, to so conduct matters and represent
them to the Viceroy, that it shall be unnecessary for me to
resort to such an extreme measure."

" I will gladly do my utmost, most noble senor, to carry out
such instructions as you may be pleased to give me," answered
the alcalde.

"That is well," said George. "I want you to convey to
the Viceroy by the way, where is the Viceroy ? Are you
here as his representative ? "

" Nay, not so, senor," answered the alcalde. " His
Excellency is at present in the city of Mexico. The Com-
mandant of the military lies in his house, sick of a fever and
quite unable to transact business ; and that is why I am here."

" Um ! " commented George. "That makes it rather
awkward — for you, I am afraid, senor." He considered a
little, and then asked : " How long would it take a well-
mounted messenger to proceed to the city of Mexico with a
message, and return with an answer ? "

132 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

It

<{

Six days at the very least, senor ; the roads are very

bad/' was the reply.

"Then that rules the Viceroy out of the question," said
George, "for I cannot spare the time to send messages back-
ward and forward a six days' journey. Now, as to the military
Commandant : you say that he is too ill to transact business.
Is there not a sub-commandant, or some such official, with
whom I can deal ? "

"There is, of course, the Captain of Soldiers, senor,"
answered the alcalde. "But I come next in rank to the

Commandant."

"Then," said George, "it is clear that you, sehor, are the
official with whom I must deal ; and if you are unwilling to
bear the entire responsibility, you must e'en share it with
the military captain. Now, these are my demands, which
I will presently embody in a written document, in order that
you may have something to show when the time comes for

you to reckon with the Viceroy.

" First : I claim one million pezos of gold to cover the loss
of ships and treasure resulting to my countrymen through
the Viceroy's treacherous attack upon them. Stay a moment,
senor, that is only the beginning of my demands," — as the
alcalde half rose to his feet, protestingly.

"Secondly: I will put down the number of Englishmen
slain on that occasion at, let us say, three hundred and fifty.
For the benefit of those who were dependent upon those men
I demand one thousand gold pezos each, or three hundred and
fifty thousand in all.

" Thirdly : I demand the release of every Englishman now
in your hands, with certain provisos concerning them, which
I will make known when they have been delivered into my
hands.

" And lastly : I will retain these twelve gentlemen, your
companions, as hostages on board my ship, to guard against
any further treachery ; the understanding being that upon

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 133

the first sign of anything of the kind, I hang them, one after
the other, at my yardarms."

As one man the unhappy thirteen sprang to their feet, and
for a few minutes the cabin was vociferous with their protests.
St. Leger stood listening with perfect calmness to the storm
as it raged around him, and his absolute imperturbability
seemed at length to have a tranquillizing effect upon his
unwilling guests, for, finally, realizing that what they said
produced not the slightest visible effect upon him, they re-
sumed their seats one after another, and eventually peace
was restored, the party waiting eagerly to hear what reply
might be forthcoming. Then George once more spoke.

"I think, senors," he said, "that you are alarming your-
selves quite unnecessarily — unless indeed you feel that you
are unable to rely upon the good faith of your fellow-country-
men. For your safety depends entirely upon that. So long
as they can be content to deal straightforwardly with me, no
harm shall happen to you ; it is only in the event of treachery
that you will have anything to fear, and surely you can trust
to your friend the alcalde to take all the steps needful to
prevent anything of that kind."

" I will do my very utmost in that direction," interposed
the alcalde. " It is only the injudicious activity of the soldiery
that we really need fear ; and I think it will be well, Senor
Capitano, for you to permit my colleagues here to prepare a
joint letter setting forth the fact of their detention by you
as hostages for the good behaviour of all, and the unhappy
consequences which must result to them from ill-advised
action on the part of any one; so that I may have documentary
evidence to exhibit in confirmation of my own statement, if
I find such confirmation needful. As to your demands,
senor, it will, of course, be impossible for me to concede any
of them upon my own unsupported authority ; in the absence
of his Excellency, the Viceroy, and in view of your refusal
to afford time for communication with him, I must discuss

134 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

the situation with such of the authorities as are immediately-
accessible, and abide by their decision, whatever it may be.
There is one matter, however, to which I may as well refer at
once, since it will have to be dealt with sooner or later, and
that is, the release of the prisoners taken upon the occasion of
the ill-advised attack upon your countrymen last year. I
approach the subject with the utmost reluctance, for I fear
that what I have to say will be very ill received by you. I
must say it, however ; and it is this : it will be quite impossible
for us to comply with that condition in its entirety, for the
best of all reasons, namely, that only a very small number of
them still remain in our hands."

" What, then, has become of the others ? " demanded
George, in a low, tense voice, the significance of which caused
a visible shudder to thrill through his audience.

" I very deeply regret to say, most illustrious sen or — and
I beg you at the outset to understand that no one here is in
the very remotest degree responsible for the deplorable fact
which I have to state — that some of them are— dead, while
others have been condemned to the galleys and are — I greatly
fear — completely lost sight of by this time/' replied the
alcalde, in great trepidation, which was fully shared by his
twelve companions.

For a few moments that seemed ages to the quaking
Spaniards sitting there, George remained silent, his burning
gaze searching face after face questioningly, and more than
one present, knowing the nature of the revelation that must
now very soon come, seemed to already feel a rope tightening
about his neck.

At length, when the silence had become almost intolerable,
George spoke again, still with ominous calmness and quiet-
ness. Leaning forward across the table, with his eyes stead-
fastly fixed upon those of the alcalde, he said :

" Your reply, senor, sounds curiously significant, and
impels me to demand further information. Can you, by any

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 135

chance, inform me how many of those men are dead, what
were their names, and what was the cause and nature of their
death ? "

" No, senor, I cannot answer your question categorically at
the present moment," replied the alcalde. " All that I can
tell you, now, is that some of them died of the wounds which
they received in the fight, some died of disease, and the rest —
perished — in the — Inquisition — or linger still within its walls.
But records, of course, exist from which it will no doubt be
possible to furnish you with all details."

" So," commented George, after another terrible silence,
" some perished in the Inquisition — or linger still within its
walls. Can you tell me, senor, how they chanced to get into
the power of the Inquisition ? "

" Certainly, senor," answered the alcalde, with alacrity,
believing that he saw his way to clear himself and his colleagues
from blame. " Upon their capture, they were naturally at
first confined in prison by order of the military authorities.
From thence some of them — a few — were sent to the galleys,
some — as I just now had the honour to mention to you, died
in prison of their wounds, and the remainder were claimed by
the Chief Inquisitor."

" I see," commented George, " Yes, I think I begin to
understand, and see my way. Now, senor, I will furnish you
with pens and paper, and you can proceed to draft the docu-
ment to which you just now referred, while I place on record
the nature and extent of my claims. When we have done
that, I will go ashore with you, taking with me a party of
armed men, accompanied by whom I purpose to call at your
Inquisition and remove from thence any Englishmen whom
I may find within its walls. I have decided to take this step,
not only to save time, but also because, having seen something
of your fellow-countrymen in Old Spain, I know the extreme
reluctance with which you would regard any suggestion of
mine that you should bring pressure of any kind to bear upon

136 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

your own clergy, therefore I will relieve you of all embarrass-
ment on that score by personally assuming the responsibility.
It will also probably be necessary that I should have an
interview with the commander of your military forces, as I
presume that he is the official who will be able to furnish me
with the names of the Englishmen captured, with particulars
of the manner in which they were disposed of. Indeed, upon
second thoughts, I am inclined to believe that he is the man
upon whom I ought first to call ; and since I presume that it
will be necessary for you also to call upon him — in the interests
of your friends here — we will make the call together."

So saying George produced writing materials, and, handing
a liberal supply to the alcalde, seated himself at the table and
proceeded to enumerate in writing the several demands which
he had already made by word of mouth, quite undisturbed
by the excited discussion which was proceeding among the
Spaniards as to the precise terms in which their own document
should be worded so as to render it as impressive as possible
to those to whom it might be necessary to exhibit it. His
own work was soon done, and a copy taken for retention and
reference, if needful ; and then he sat patiently for nearly
half-an-hour until the hostages' letter had been drafted to
their satisfaction, and duly signed. Next, having formally
handed his written demand to the alcalde, he invited the
latter to follow him out on deck, where, summoning Basset,
the captain of the soldiers, and Dyer, the pilot, he issued to
them certain instructions. Then, turning to the alcalde, who
had stood by, listening, but understanding nothing of what
was being said, George remarked :

" Sefior Alvarez, as you have just seen, I have issued certain
instructions to two of my officers, and they are these. Don
Ricardo Basset, my military commandant, I have instructed
to muster ten of his soldiers, fully armed and equipped, to
accompany me ashore, under him, as a body guard. And to
Don Roberto Dyer, my lieutenant, I have given instructions

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 137

that the gentlemen whom I have considered it necessary to
retain as hostages are to be treated with the utmost possible
courtesy, so long as all matters go well, but that upon the
slightest sign or indication of treachery upon the part of your
countrymen, either ashore or a£oat, he is to hang them, one
after the other, at those yardarms, up there. Also, he is to
keep his guns trained upon the town and, in the event of none
of the landing party returning before sunset, open fire upon
it forthwith. I have explained these matters to you in order
that you may realize that upon you, and upon the success
with which you are able to impress upon your compatriots
the absolute necessity for complete submission, depends the
lives of the hostages whom you are leaving behind you. Ah !
here comes Senor Basset with his guard ; and I see that the
boat is also ready ; therefore, as there may be much to be
done between this and sunset, we will go as soon as you are
ready, senor."

Whereupon Don Juan Alvarez, the alcalde of San Juan de
Ulua, hurried back to the great state cabin to reassure and
bid farewell to the hostages, and then, returning to the deck,
accompanied George to the boat, where Basset and his men
had already taken their places ; and the party pushed off
and headed for the landing place.

Although it was a city, San Juan was, at this period of its
history, but a very small place, of little more than a square
mile in area, with only two streets at all worthy of the name,
these two streets traversing each other at right angles and
crossing in the centre of the city, the junction of the two
being at the Grand Plaza, or Square, one side of which was
occupied by the Cathedral, while the other three sides were
given up to the Government and Municipal Buildings. It
was to one of these last, a large and imposing building with
the arms of Spain boldly sculptured upon its pediment, that
the alcalde conducted the little party of Englishmen, and
which he entered alone, after apologising elaborately for doing

138 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

so, upon the plea that it would greatly facilitate matters if he
were permitted to first see Don Manuel Rebiera, the acting
Commandant, and explain to him the situation. George
agreed with him that this might be so, and patiently took up
his stand outside, waiting, in company with Basset and his
squad of soldiers, in the shadow of the building until he should
be summoned to enter. And meanwhile the party became
objects of curiosity and by no means friendly comment to a
rapidly increasing crowd, chiefly of men of the labouring class,
who came to gaze curiously upon the little knot of resolute-
looking Englishmen who returned their gaze so fearlessly,
blowing their lighted matches occasionally and handling their
muskets in significant fashion when the mob showed signs of
becoming rather too demonstrative.

At length, after an absence of nearly twenty minutes, the
alcalde reappeared and, with further apologies, this time for
his prolonged absence, invited George to accompany him into
the building for the purpose of being presented to Don Manuel
Rebiera, the acting Commandant. This gentleman w r as
found installed in a room which partook, in about equal pro-
portions, of the characteristics of an office and a barrack-
room, with a sentry outside the door, who stolidly saluted the
pair as they passed in.

Captain Rebiera proved to be a typical Spanish soldier oi
the period, bluff and hearty, but exceedingly courteous in
manner, with, according to his own account, a profound respect
and admiration for the English, so far as his knowledge of
them extended, yet George quickly came to the conclusion
that the good man was suffering from a certain feeling of
soreness at the idea of the city, for the safety of which he
was responsible, being to all intents and purposes in the power
and at the mercy of the exceedingly young man to whom he
was introduced. He greeted George courteously, yet with a
certain suggestion of restrained antagonism, and then said :

"Senor, my friend, Don Juan Alvarez, has very briefly

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 139

acquainted me with the extraordinary circumstances of your
visit to our port, and of the still more extraordinary demands
which you have seen fit to make. Now, I may as well men-
tion that, so far as those demands are concerned, it will be
quite impossible for me to concede them without first con-
sulting "

"Pardon me, Don Manuel," interrupted George, who was
already beginning to suspect a disposition on the part of this
individual at least to set up a system of delay and retardation
of proceedings, <( I do not think we need enter upon a discus-
sion of my demands as a whole just now. The object of my
visit to you is to obtain a list of the names of the Englishmen
who fell into your hands last year as a result ot your unpro-
voked attack upon the squadron of my countryman, Admiral
Hawkins, and a statement of what has become of them. I
presume you can furnish me with this information, can you
not ? "

"No doubt — yes, no doubt I can," replied Don Manuel,
with deliberation. " A search of the records should certainly
enable us to discover the information which you require ; but
of course it will take time. Still, I think 1 may promise you
that in a week from now T "

" A week ! " exploded George, " A week ! " Then he turned
to the alcalde, and, calming himself with an effort, said :
" Senor, I am afraid that your friend Don Manuel, here, does
not realize the urgency of this matter, or the extreme serious-
ness of the situation. I want the information asked for,
now, at once, within the hour at least. Will you have the
very great goodness to make this clear to him ? "

Whereupon the alcalde drew Don Manuel away into a far
corner of the room and, with every evidence of extreme
agitation, addressed himself earnestly to the soldier for some
five minutes or more, at the end of which the pair returned to
where George was standing by the table, fidgeting with his
sword hilt. The arguments and remonstrances of the alcalde

140 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

)»

seemed to have been effective, for upon their return Don
Manuel said :

"I crave your pardon, most noble senor; I certainly did
not understand that the matt er was anything like so urgem
as it appears to be. I beg that you will be seated, senor, and
I will do my best to have the information found for you
forthwith/'

Then, as George seated himself, the acting Commandant
rang a bell, in response to which a messenger appeared, to
whom he gave certain instructions, whereupon the man
vanished, and Don Manuel, taking a chair on the opposite
side of the table to that at which George was sitting, began a
somewhat constrained conversation upon indifferent subjects,
which was interrupted by the appearance of a servant with
wine and three handsome cups of chased silver. St. Leger,
however, coldly but courteously declined refreshments of any
kind ; he resolved that he would do nothing which could by
any possibility be construed into either tacit consent to
methods of delay or an acceptance of proffered friendship ;
he was there as an enemy and an avenger, and he was deter-
mined to keep this fact prominently to the fore ; consequently
the constraint rapidly grew until, so far as Don Manuel at least
was concerned, it became unendurable, and, rising, he begged
that his visitors would excuse him, upon the plea that he
desired to expedite matters by personally directing the search
for the required information.

And apparently the stimulus of his presence was successful,
for after an absence of about a quarter of an hour he returned,
bearing in his hand a book between the pages of which slips of
paper had been inserted to mark the positions of certain
entries.

"There," he exclaimed, in a tone of satisfaction, as he
laid the book upon the table and opened it, " by a stroke of
singular good fortune, senor, we have been able to at once
lay our hands upon the record which will furnish you with

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 141

the information you require. Here, for instance, is the first
entry, giving the names of the Englishmen who were captured
upon the occasion to which you refer. They number forty-
three, and their names are as follows." He proceeded to read
out the names of the unfortunate ones, among which occurred
that of Hubert St. Leger — " a namesake of your own, senor,"
commented Don Manuel. " Was he, perchance, a relative of
yours ? "

" He was my brother, senor/' answered George, tersely.
11 Read on, if you please."

The end of the list was soon reached ; and then George
said : "I am obliged to you, senor. Now, in the first place,
1 must trouble you for a copy of that list, with a statement
opposite each name setting forth the manner in which that
person was dealt with."

" Certainly, senor," answered Don Manuel, politely ; " that
information also I believe we can afford you. If you will
permit me I will summon my clerk to prepare the list you
require."

George bowed his acquiescence ; the clerk was sent for ;
and alter about an hour's work the list was completed and
handed to the young Englishman, who took it and, having
glanced carefully through it, said :

"I am obliged to you, Don Manuel. I see that, of the
forty-three prisoners taken, ten died of their wounds, in prison ;
seventeen, of whom my brother was one, were sentenced to
the galleys, and sixteen were claimed by your Inquisition.
Can you afford me any further information with regard to
the seventeen who were sentenced to the galleys ; as, for
example, the name of the galley to which each man was con-
signed, and where those galleys may be looked for at the
present moment ? "

"No, senor," answered Don Manuel, "I regret to say
that I cannot. They were all put on board a ship called
the San Mathias, and sent in her to Nombre de Dios,

142 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

where, if you will hear more of them, you must e'en go
and enquire."

"I thank you, senor," answered George quietly, ignoring
a certain suggestion of insolence in the other's concluding
remark. " And now, as to the sixteen who were surrendered

to the Inquisition. What can you tell me concerning them p "
"Nothing, senor/' answered Don Manuel, at length display-
ing some signs of uneasiness. " When the Holy Office claims
a man, that man disappears from the public ken, generally for
ever ; or if he is seen again it is only when he figures in the
auto-da f&, dressed in a San Benito. Pardon, Senor Capitano,
but this is a matter upon which I can afford you no informa-
tion, and which I must absolutely refuse to discuss with you,

j )

or anyone.

" Very well," said George, " be it so. But I suppose you
will have no objection to inform me whereabout the Inquisition
building is to be found ? "

"Where it is to be found ? " reiterated Don Manuel. "Why

assuredly . But stay. What is your object in requiring

that particular bit of information, senor ? "

Merely that I have business there, a call to make," an-

tt

swered George, imperturbably.

"Business! a call!" reiterated the soldier. "Surely,
senor, it is not possible that you, a heretic, intend to force
your sinful way into the presence of the holy fathers, and
to — to—. Saints and angels ! I will be no party to such
a blasphemous proceeding. If that be your intention, senor,
seek your information elsewhere ; I will not imperil my soul
by assisting, in ever so indirect a manner, an act of sacrilege."

" As you will, senor," answered George, calmly. " But
I would have you remember that by delaying me in the
performance of the task which I have undertaken, you are
jeopardising the city and all in it. If I am delayed "

" Pray say no more, noble senor," interrupted the alcalde.
" There is nothing to be gained, Don Manuel, by withholding

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 143

from the illustrious Adelantado the information which he
seeks ; for if you will not give it, others will. And — a word
in your ear, senor. If anything should happen to these
Englishmen while they are in the city, their comrades will
most fearfully avenge themselves upon us, They have left
us no room to doubt what will happen in such a case, and
they are the kind of men who will carry out their threats
to the very last letter. Therefore, see to it, my friend, that
steps are taken to prevent your soldiery from interfering
with or molesting them in any way. For, should anything
untoward happen, you will be held responsible. Now, I
have warned you. See to it ! "

,f Bueno ! senor alcalde, you are my superior, and since
those are your orders, I will obey them/' answered Don
Manuel. " Nevertheless/' he continued, " if the Commandant
were well enough to take the command, I know what he would
do. He would arrest and imprison these audacious strangers,
and defy their comrades to do their worst. Moreover, senor, I
should not like to be in your shoes when the news of this
disgraceful business reaches the ears of his Excellency the
Viceroy."

And, so saying, he bowed with exaggerated politeness to
George and the alcalde, and with a fierce twist of his moustache
strode swaggeringly out of the room.

CHAPTER IX

How George Visited the Holy Inquisition at San Juan

" A good man, in many respects ; a very excellent man,
indeed," observed the alcalde, nodding toward the door by
which Don Manuel had just quitted the apartment, "and
admirable in the position which he occupies. As a soldier
merely, he is all that one could possibly desire, brave to
recklessness, and an admirable leader. But after all he is
only a soldier j fighting is his trade, but he knows nothing
whatever about diplomacy ; he does not understand that
there is not only a time when men should fight but also a
time when, if they are wise, they should forbear. It is a
fortunate thing for us all, illustrious sefior, that I and not he
happens to be in authority at the present juncture ; and
I beg that you will not permit his cavalier-like behaviour
to influence you in the slightest degree. And now, noble
Capitan, if you have quite completed your business here, I
will point out to you the way to the Inquisition, for time is
pressing, and I am most anxious that no untoward accident
shall occur to interfere with or delay your business in San Juan.
And — I know not what may be the nature of your errand
with the Holy Office, but, if I may be permitted to offer a
suggestion, I would very strongly advise — nay more, I would
most earnestly entreat — that you do nothing to wound the
religious susceptibilities of the inhabitants, who regard the
Inquisition, and all connected with it, with the utmost vener-
ation and dread."

" Probably with even greater dread than veneration, eh >

144

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH' 1 145

Don Juan ? " remarked George, as he took up his hat and
prepared to follow the alcalde out of the building.

" Possibly, sehor ; possibly," replied the alcalde, with
reservation, as he led the way.

Nothing more was said until the pair reached the street
and rejoined Basset and his little band of armed men, who
stood placidly facing a crowd of nearly a hundred men princi-
pally composed of the more lawless and ruffianly element
which is to be found in the lower quarters of every city.

The alcalde regarded this sullen looking, but as yet merely
passively hostile crowd for some moments with an expression
of considerable alarm and misgiving ; then, moved by the
urgency of the occasion, he waved his hand to claim attention,
and made a little speech in which he first rebuked the gather-
ing for its discourtesy to the visitors by standing gaping at
them as though they were so many wild beasts, after which
he commanded them to disperse, warning them at the same
time to interfere with the strangers at their peril, informing
them that he would very severely punish any person who
should dare to do so, and at the same time reminding them
that the said strangers, though few, were trained soldiers,
fully armed, who would themselves be quick to avenge the
slightest interference or insult. He stood there until the
last of the surly, scowling ruffians had moved slowly and
unwillingly away, their movements finally hastened by the
emergence of a party of soldiers from another wing of the
building, and then, when they had all vanished, he furtively
indicated to George the way to the Inquisition, and hurriedly
removed himself from the scene.

The Inquisition was situated at a distance of some ten
minutes' march from the Grand Plaza, and proved to be, when
the party of Englishmen reached it, an extensive forbidding-
looking, prison like structure built of massive masonry, and
apparently strong enough to withstand anything short of
an attack by ordnance. The entrance consisted of an archway

K

146 THE CRUISE OF THE ''NONSUCH'*

some twelve feet wide fitted with a pair of enormously thick
iron-studded oaken doors, in one of which was a small wicket
fitted with a grille. An iron chain, with a hand grip attached
to its lower extremity, depending from a hole in the wall,
indicated the means of communication with the interior,
and this George tugged at violently, with the result that a
loud bell immediately set up a furious clanging somewhere
in the interior of the building. After an interval of nearly a
minute this summons was replied to by a hooded friar who,
having drawn the slide of the grille, peered out through the
opening and querulously demanded to know who it was who
raised such a clangour, and what was his business, to which
George, who was the only person visible from the aperture
of the grille, replied that he was a stranger who had urgent
business of a strictly private nature with the Father Superior.
Whereupon the slide of the grille was sharply closed, and the
party faintly heard the shuffling footsteps of the friar receding.

After an absence of nearly ten minutes the friar reappeared
at the grille, with a demand to be informed of the stranger's
name and the precise nature of his business with the Holy
Father, to which George replied that it was useless for him
to give his name, since it was quite unknown to the Father
Superior, and that his business was not only most urgent
but was for the Holy Father's ear alone, and that it was
imperative that he should be admitted without an instant's
unnecessary delay. A further and somewhat longer wait
then ensued, and Basset was strongly urging the desirability
of an attempt to burst the wicket open when the friar appeared
for the third time and, shooting certain heavy bolts on the
inside of the wicket, flung it open. To push his way in was for
George the work of but a moment, when, to the dismay and
indignation of the gatekeeper, he was instantly followed by
eleven soldiers, armed to the teeth.

" The keys ! " exclaimed George, to Basset. " Take his
keys from him, lock the gate, and station two men here as

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 147

sentries, with orders to allow no one to leave the building.
That is well/' as his orders were obeyed. " Now, the rest of
you, follow me. Lead the way, old man, to the quarters
of the Father Superior ; I must see him forthwith. Are you
the keeper also of the keys which give access to the cells I "
to the friar who had admitted them.

" No," answered the cowering creature. " The gaoler
carries those. But what would you with them, thou man
of violence ? No one is permitted to enter the cells without
the permission of the Father Superior."

" Lead me to him, then," repeated George. " Captain Bas-
set," he continued, " I will take two men with me. Take you
the remainder and secure every door giving access to the
exterior of this building. No man must on any account be
allowed to leave it, for if that should happen, they will raise
the inhabitants of the town upon us, and there will be blood-
shed, which I wish to avoid, if possible. Now, sir," to the friar,
" lead the way."

While Basset marched off the remaining half dozen of his
men to execute George's order, the latter, accompanied by
two soldiers, followed his unwilling guide into the main
building and down a long corridor to a door, at which the
friar knocked with a trembling hand.

<( Enter ! " responded a voice in Spanish, whereupon George,
gently pushing his guide aside and beckoning the two soldiers
to follow him, threw open the door and passed into the apart-
ment. It was a large and very handsomely furnished room,
containing a table, sofa, several lounging chairs, and a large
book-case, tull of books, lacing the two wide and lofty windows
which lighted the room and which looked out upon a spacious,
beautifully kept garden. On one wall hung a large crucifix,
the cross made of ebony while the exquisitely carved figure
of the crucified Christ was of ivory, fastened to the cross with
golden nails, while the crown of thorns which encircled the
drooping head was also made of gold. Two large pictures,

148 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

one of which represented the Descent from the Cross, and the
other the Entombment, hung on either side of the crucifix ;
and the opposite wall w r as occupied by a very large and
beautiful painting depicting the Apotheosis of the Virgin
Mother.

At the entrance of the three armed men a tall and dignified
figure clad in priestly garments rose from the table and, with
a finger inserted between the pages of a book which he had
been reading, haughtily demanded, in Spanish :

" Who are you, sir ; and what is the meaning of this un-
seemly — this audacious — intrusion upon my privacy ? "

George replied to this question by asking another. "Am
I right," he demanded, " in supposing you to be the Right
Reverend Father Superior of this institution ? "

" And if I am, what then ? " demanded the other.

" Only that you are the man I happen to want/' replied
George. "I am an Englishman/' he continued, "and the
captain of a ship which holds this city at her mercy. I and
my companions have come all the way from England to
avenge the most foul and treacherous attack made by your
Viceroy upon a fleet of English ships in this harbour, last year ;
and, incidentally, to call you, sir, to account for your treat-
ment of certain of the prisoners taken upon that occasion,
who were delivered into your hands. I have here "

"But — but — " interrupted the Father Superior — for such
was the individual upon whose privacy George had so uncere-
moniously intruded—" I do not understand. Why have
you been permitted to come here ? Where are our soldiers,
and what are they doing ? M

"Have I not already explained that the town is at my
mercy ? " interrupted George in his turn. " What further
enlightenment do you need ? As to your soldiers, they dare
not interfere with me, for my ship's guns command the town,
and my crew have orders to destroy the place if any attempt
is made to resist me. Now, I have a list here " — drawing it

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 149

from his pocket — " containing the names of sixteen men who,
I am told, were claimed by this Inquisition ; and my business
with you is to demand an account of them. Where are they,
and what have you done to them ? "

" How, in the name of all the saints, can I possibly answer
your question, senor, unless you furnish me with the names
of the men you refer to?" demanded the priest, with a valiant
attempt to brazen the matter out, but there was a quaver
in his voice which betrayed that he was beginning to feel
anxious, if not actually apprehensive, concerning the outcome
of this astounding business.

"There is the list, senor/' answered George, laying the
document on the table. " Take it, I pray you, and let me
have an instant reply to my demand."

The Father Superior took the list and ran his eye over it,
ponderingly. Then he laid it down again and said :

"Sehor Englishman, I cannot possibly answer your ques-
tion offhand, for I do not tax my memory to recollect exactly
how every person who enters the walls of this building has
been dealt with. But if you will suffer me to ring for my
secretary I have no doubt that, with his assistance, I can
furnish you with the information you require."

" By all means," assented George ; and the Father Superior
thereupon turned to the wall and jerked a bell rope. A slight
interval followed, and then a very frightened priest entered.

( ' Holy Father/' he began, " the building is in the possession

of armed men " and then, catching sight for the first time

of George and the two soldiers, who were standing somewhat
in the shadow, he stopped short, at the same time making
the sign of the Cross.

" Yes, proceed, Fray Matthew, " exhorted the other. " You
were saying that the building is in the possession of armed
men. What else ?"

"They have taken the gaoler, your Eminence, locked
him in one of his own cells, and are now liberating the prisoners

150 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

including one whom they have taken out of the very torture
chamber itself."

"Is this true, senor?" demanded the Father Superior.
" And, if so, is this sacrilege being committed by your orders ? "

" I know not whether that man's story is true or not/' said
George, " but I think it exceedingly probable ; and, if so, it is
certainly being done by my orders. As to the sacrilege of the
thing " the young man shrugged his shoulders expressively.

The Holy Father also shrugged his shoulders, as though to
say — " Well, if you are struck dead, don't blame me ; it will
only be what you richly deserve." Then he turned to Fray
Matthew.

" Fray," he said, " bring me hither the book containing
the record of persons admitted to the Inquisition during the
past year, with particulars of the manner in which they have
been dealt with."

The priest, with another frightened glance at George and
the two stolid-looking soldiers, hurriedly retired ; and as he
vanished through the doorway the Father Superior coolly
turned his back upon the Englishman and, sauntering to the
nearest window, stood gazing contemplatively through it
into the garden, which, George observed, was all ablaze with
tropical flora. And there he remained, taking not the slightest
notice of his self-invited visitors until, after an absence of
some ten minutes, the Fray returned, bearing two enormous
books under his arm, the which he laid upon the table. Then,
sauntering back to the table as leisurely as he had left it, the
Holy Father took up the list which George had handed to
him, considered it for a moment, opened one of the two
books which had been brought to him, referred to an index,
and then turned over the pages of the book until he found the
one which he wanted. Then he ran his finger down a column,
paused, and looked up.

tt TT H

Here," he said, looking up and addressing George, " is
the entry referring to the first man on your list. It states

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 151

that, after having been put to the question in various ways,
he died, on such a date, in his cell."

" Thank you/' said George. " Now, before we go any
farther, I must ask you to kindly explain exactly what you
mean when you speak of a man being ' put to the question. 7 "

For the first time the Father Superior exhibited distinct
symptoms of uneasiness. He hesitated perceptibly, and at
length replied :

" The expression refers to certain means which are adopted
in extreme cases when, for instance, the subject displays
great obduracy, to persuade him to renounce his heresy,
accept the canons of the true faith, and humbly sue for admis-
sion into the bosom of the Catholic Church."

' ( But that only partially answers my question," retorted
George. " You speak of ' certain means which are adopted
in extreme cases.' What, precisely, is the nature of those
means to which you refer?"

The Holy Father's uneasiness visibly increased, and he
began to fence with the question.

" I take it," he said, after some consideration, " that you,
my son, are a heretic, otherwise you would not be ignorant
of the meaning of the expressions which I have used. That
being the case, it seems necessary for me to explain that the
Holy Inquisition is an institution which has been established
for the especial purpose of saving the souls of heathens and
heretics, even at the expense of their bodies, if need be. The
human soul is of infinitely greater value than the human body ;
and it has been found that physical pain exerts a most benefi-
cent influence upon those obdurate ones who evince a dis-
inclination to accept the — the "

" Thanks," interrupted George ; " I will not trouble you
to go on, for I think I now clearly understand what putting a
person to the question means. It means, does it not in plain,
unvarnished language — the infliction upon an individual of
such excruciating, such diabolical, torment that in most cases

152 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

the individual will agree to anything you choose to suggest,
will accept any kind of doctrine you choose to thrust upon
him, rather than submit to further tortures ? "

" Well of course — that is putting the matter very, very
crudely," admitted the Father Superior; "still, regarding
the statement broadly, it is — well — in the main — very nearly
true. But there is this to be said, this very important

n

a

*t

n

Quite unnecessary, I assure you," interposed George.
The broad fact is that you convert by means of bodily
torment ; and in some cases — where, as you say, ' the subject

displays great obduracy/ the torment is so extreme and so
protracted that the unhappy wretch dies under it. Is not that
so?"

Yes — if you choose to so put it," answered the Father
Superior, "that is so. But again I must protest against the
extreme crudity, the

" And," interrupted George, " this poor unfortunate fellow,
the first on my list, is one of those who so died, is he not ? "

" Really, senor," protested the Holy Father — " you — you
are not — are not giving — this matter — quite — quite fair

>>

t»

"Answer me, sehor, without equivocation; did, or did not
this man, of whom we are now speaking, die as the result
of your hellish torments ? " rapped out George, suddenly
becoming exasperated and heavily smiting the table with his
clenched fist.

"Reverend Father," here interposed Fray Matthew, who
could scarcely articulate because of his chattering teeth, " I
pray you give me leave to retire. The violence of this heretic,
this man of blood, frightens me."

"No," answered George, before the other could speak.
" Being here, you will remain. It is possible that I may need
you to supply me with information which your superior may
be unwilling or unable to give. Now, sehor " — turning to the

Father Superior — " answer me.

tt

Then — since you insist," replied the Father Superior,

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 153

" I can only reply that the man certainly did die as the result
of being put to the question."

(( Very well," returned George, taking up the list and making
a note upon it. " Now, as to the next one ? "

And again the long, tedious process ot question and equivoca-
tion was gone through, over and over, until every name upon
the list had been dealt with, when it finally appeared that,
of the sixteen unhappy Englishmen who had become involved
in the meshes of that terrible institution, the Holy Inquisition,
no less than six had been burnt alive at the stake in the last
auto-da fe, seven had died miserably as the result of the tor-
ments to which they had been subjected, and a poor residue
of three only still languished m their cells !

" And," demanded George, when he had studied and fully
digested the details of this terrible list — " who is responsible
for this tremendous accumulation of ghastly human suffering
and these hellish murders ? You ? "

"No, thank God! not I," asserted the Father Superior,
now trembling for his life, and with all his recent arrogance
completely evaporated. " I am merely the Head of the
strictly ecclesiastical section ol the institution ; 1 have nothing
whatever to do with the proselytizing, which is undertaken
by, and is entirely in the hands of, the Grand Inquisitor and
his assistants."

"And where," asked George, "are these people to be
found ? "

" They are probably in — the — the — room — where — in which
— persons are put to — to — the question," was the stammered
reply.

"Ah!" exclaimed George. "I presume you mean the
place which the fray, here, has more briefly designated as
the ' torture chamber.' Very well ; I must see the place,
and also the Grand Inquisitor and his assistants ; I have
something very important to say to those — 'm — people.
Lead the way, reverend senor, if you please." Then, turning

154 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

II

to the two armed men who guarded the door, he added — " Take
charge of these two men. For the present, they are prisoners."

The Father Superior possessed a certain knowledge of
English, for as the last words passed George's lips the terrified
ecclesiastic quavered :

" Prisoners, sefior ? Prisoners ? What what — do you
mean ? How dare you interfere with my liberty ? This is
downright, rank sacrilege ; and if you dare to treat any of
the inmates of this institution — and especially any members
of the Holy Office— otherwise than with the utmost deference,
you will will — suffer severely for it."

" Pray lead on, sefior/' retorted George, waving the agitated
man toward the door. " Surely you must realize by this
time that the institution and all within it are in my power.
And I am what you please to term a ' heretic ' ; the thunders
of your Church have no terrors for me ; I regard you and
your associates merely as men who have been guilty of certain
most atrocious crimes, and I am here for the express purpose
of punishing the guilty ones."

The Father Superior evidently realized that, after this,
there was no more to be said, and, between the two men-at-
arms, and closely followed by the shivering fray, he accordingly
passed out of the room and down a long corridor, into another,
until a small door was reached, which, with evident fear
and reluctance, he at length threw open, disclosing a most
remarkable scene.

The chamber thus revealed was a very large and lofty one,
lighted by three large windows set high in the wall and heavily
grated outside. And although the windows were all wide
open, the atmosphere was oppressively close, and it was also
charged with a very peculiar odour, evidently arising in part
at least from the fumes of an ignited charcoal brazier, con-
taining several curious-looking iron instruments thrust deep
into its glowing heart. Immediately under the windows,
and running the entire width of the chamber, was a platform

THE CRUISE OF THE ,( NOxNSUCH " 155

or dais, some three feet high, the front portion of which was
occupied by a long table, behind which were ranged nine
chairs, the middle chair being of a much more ornate character
than the rest, the carving of it being ecclesiastical in character,
and upon the table, betore each chair, was a supply of paper,
pens and ink. The dais was a wooden structure, and was
carpeted with black material ; the tablecloth also was black,
with the sacred monogram I.H.S. above a cross and surmounted
by a crown of thorns embroidered upon it in silver thread.
The floor oi the remaining part of the chamber was flagged
with paving slabs, and was bare, while the walls and ceiling
were coloured black. In the centre of the wall behind the
dais, between two of the four windows, hung an enormous
crucifix, the figure of the Redeemer, very finely carved in
wood and realistically painted in the colours of nature, being
life-size. At the end of the room opposite the dai's was an
engine or machine which even those who had never seen such

a thing before might easily hive identified as a rack; and
there were four chairs, two on either side of the room, of such
elaborate and sinister construction that there could be no
question as to their being designed lor the purpose of inflicting
various kinds of ingenious and exquisite agony upon the
unhappy occupants ; while, in addition to these there was an
instrument which clearly betrayed itself as a specimen of the
notorious " boot." Hung here and there upon the walls were
other curious looking instruments, the uses of which were not
so readily determinable ; and there were also a number
of suggestive and sinister-looking ropes and pulleys depending
from the ceiling.

Such a room, so furnished, could not possibly fail to fix
the attention of any person entering it for the first time,
even in the character of a mere spectator, and George St, Leger
gazed about him for quite a minute with a feeling of keen
curiosity that rapidly changed to mingled horror and anger
as he began to recognise the character and purpose of the

156 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

several objects that met his gaze ; and then he turned to its
occupants ; for although, in order to present a clear and
unconfused picture of the chamber, only its inanimate contents
have thus far been referred to, the room was by no means
empty of human occupants. On the contrary, in addition
to those who had already entered, immediately inside the
door, one on either side of it, stood two of Basset's men-at-
arms, with drawn swords and cocked pistols in their hands,
while the nine chairs on the dais were occupied by nine motion
less figures completely shrouded in garments of black cloth,
wearing upon their heads a curious pointed head-dress, also
of black cloth, which completely hid their heads and faces,
but in which two holes were cut for them to see through.
Seated in one of the torture chairs, but with the torturing
apparatus now thrown out of gear, was a most dreadful
looking object bearing the semblance of a terribly emaciated
man, worn to mere skin and bone by privation and suffering,
clad in rags, his hair and beard long and unkempt, his skin
and features white and bloodless, his eyes dim with anguish,
the sweat of keen protracted agony still pouring out of him,
while three ruffianly looking men clad in scarlet ministered
to him under Basset's supervision. A fourth figure in scarlet
lay motionless upon ihe nagged floor, his attitude proclaiming
that death had suddenly overtaken him, while a blue rimmed
puncture in the centre of his forehead, from which blood
still trickled, told clearly enough the manner of his death.

For a long minute young St. Leger gazed about him with
fast increasing horror as he realized the diabolical purpose
of the several engines that met his eye ; then, gaspingly, he
spoke.

" So ! " he ejaculated. " This is the chamber in which you
torture your fellow creatures until in their agony they are
fain to say whatever it pleases you that they should say, even
to denying their faith, is it, senor ? "

" Nay, senor," answered the Father Superior, " say not that

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 157

it is J who do these things. I have already repudiated all
responsibility for what happens in this chamber. It is the
Grand Inquisitor and his Assistant Inquisitors who reign
supreme here. There they sit ; ask them."

George stalked across to the middle of the chamber, and
wheeled about, facing the row of nine motionless figures
occupying the chairs.

" I mean to do so," he said, tersely. Then, addressing the
nine, he said :

" Sefiors, I have somewhat to say to you. But, first of all,
be good enough to remove your hoods, that I may see your
faces. I like not to talk with men whose features are hidden
from me."

For a moment there was silence in the room, broken only
by the low murmurings of Basset, who was speaking to the
unfortunate " subject " in the chair. Then the figure occupy-
ing the middle chair on the dais rose to his feet and, stretching
forth a long bony arm which projected to beyond the wrist
from the loose sleeve of his black robe, said :

4t Depart, presumptuous youth ! Go hence quickly, and
take those misguided men, thy minions, with thee, lest I call
down the wrath of Holy Mother Church upon thy sacrilegious
head — and theirs. Who art thou, that thou should'st dare
to "

" Reverend senor," interrupted George, unceremoniously,
"a fig for you and your sacrilege" — and he snapped his
fingers contemptuously. " The wrath of thy Holy Mother
Church has no terrors for me, though— understand me — I
can respect any man's religion, so long as he is sincere, and so
long as he is willing to respect that of others and permit them
to worship God in their own way. But, enough of this ; I
am not here to discuss theological questions, but to right a
great wrong and to avenge fiendish crime and cruelty perpe-
trated in the sacred name of Him whose effigy hangs upon
yonder cross behind you. Therefore I say once more, uncover.

158 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

and let me see your faces — unless indeed you prefer that we
should lay our sacrilegious hands upon you and remove your
head coverings ourselves ! "

"The Saints forbid!" ejaculated the Grand Inquisitor
in horror. "Anything rather than that!" Then, turning
to his companions, right and left, he added "Uncover, my
Brothers, since this heretical Englishman will have it so. It
is not meet that we, the pillars of the Holy Catholic Church,
unworthy though we be, should submit to insult and indignity
at the hands of a pack of godless Lutheran dogs." And, so
saying, he seated himself and proceeded to remove his own
head-covering, disclosing lean, ascetic features, cold, cruel,
and domineering, crowned by the monk's tonsure. At the
same time the others did the same, and with very similar
result, the dominant expression of the faces thus disclosed
being that of cold, stern ruthlessness, tempered, it must be
confessed, in some cases, with very evident signs of fear.

" So ! that is better," commented George. " Now, senors,"
he continued, " I am not going to make a long business of my
talk with you, for we have already wasted far too much time
in this accursed building. 1 have but a few questions to ask ;
and you will do well to answer them briefly and to the point.
This chamber, I perceive, is what is usually termed in the out-
side world, ' the torture chamber ' ; and I gather that it is
here you subject those whom you stigmatise as heretics to
unspeakable torments for the purpose of compelling them to
forswear themselves and embrace your religion against their
will. Now, which of you is responsible for the hellish suffering
that goes on irom time to time within these four walls P "

" Since you insist upon our replying to your insolent ques-
tions," answered the Grand Inquisitor, contemptuously,
" know, young man, that none is more responsible than
another. We whom you see seated here are appointed by our
Order to promote the honour and interest of the Church of
which we are most humble and unworthy members, by winning

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 159

souls to her, and converting the heathen and heretics generally
to the true faith. We have various methods of doing this.
In the first instance we use teaching, persuasion, exhortation ;
and sometimes these methods suffice. But when they fail-
as they do sometimes, in the case of the contumacious, there
is a blessed power in bodily suffering which, loath as we are
to employ it, we force ourselves to resort to, convinced that,
by saving the soul at the cost of the body, we are doing a
dghteous and merciful thing. But even in inflicting suffering
we are merciful, for we regulate the amount and quality of the
suffering by the extent of the contumacy of the subject,
making it light and transient at the first, and only increasing
it in sharpness and duration when we hnd the other insuffi-
cient. And in all cases the character of the punishment
is the subject of long and anxious deliberation, in which we
all join, and no punishment of any kind is ever inflicted
until we all I and my eight Brothers here — are agreed as to
its expediency, character, and amount. Also we are always
present upon such occasions, in order that the punishment
may be stopped upon the instant that conversion takes place."

14 1 see/' said George. ,( Are you all agreed '' — addressing
the assistants, "that what your Grand Inquisitor has stated
is the exact truth ? "

" St, si ; yes, we are all agreed," came first from one and
then another, until all had spoken.

"Then/' continued George, " I am to take it that you are
all alike equally responsible for what is done in this chamber ? "

It was evident that a large proportion of the Assistant
Inquisitors were inclined to jib at the word " responsible " ;
but the young Captain insisted upon each man giving a
categorical reply to the question ; and in the end, stimulated
further by the stern looks of the Grand Inquisitor, they all
replied in the affirmative.

"Very good," commented George. "Now, I have but
one othei question to ask. Is it you, as a body, who condemn

160 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

certain of your victims to the hideous fate of being burnt alive
in the auto-da-fe? yi

Even the Grand Inquisitor, hitherto in a great measure
blinded by his bigotry, and his absolute faith in the sanctity
of his office and the complete protection which it afforded
him, blanched at the directness and significance of this last
question ; but still, unable even now to fully realize the awful
danger in which he stood, he gave a somewhat rambling
and excusatory reply which, however, was a full admission
of responsibility for the deed with which George charged him
and his associates.

"Good!" said George; " you have now afforded me all the
information which I desired to obtain. All that remains
for you, senors, is to make ycur peace with God as best you
can ; for I have constituted myself the avenger of all the
accumulated agony that the walls of this chamber and the
stones of the Grand Plaza have witnessed ; and within the
next half-hour you die I "

CHAPTER X
How the Plate Ships Sought to Escape from San Juan

" We die ? " reiterated the Grand Inquisitor, now at last
fully awakened to the tremendous gravity of the situation.
" And pray, sehor, at whose behest do we die ? "

" At mine, most reverend sehor," answered George,
simply. " Have I not yet succeeded in making that clear
to you ? "

" That means, then, that you intend to murder us ? "
demanded the Grand Inquisitor, with pale, tremulous

lips.

" Senores," replied George, in a tone of finality, " it matters
not to me how you choose to designate your impending execu-
tion. Call it murder, if the expression affords you any satis-
faction. / call it an act of stern justice, the richly merited
punishment due to a long series of atrociously inhuman crimes
committed by you, if not actually with your own hands, at
least by your orders. Such crimes as you and your associates
have most callously and cold-bloodedly committed under the
cloak of religion deserve a far more severe punishment than
the mere deprivation of life, and if I were constituted like
yourselves I should make that depiivation of life a long,
lingering agony, a slow death of exquisite torment, such as
\ou have inflicted upon countless victims ; but torture is
indescribably repugnant to the mind of an Englishman,
therefore I intend to carry out the death sentence which I
have passed upon you, as mercifully as possible, by causing
you to be shot with one exception, that exception being in

I6J h

i62 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

It

the case of the Grand Inquisitor, whom I purpose to hang, as
an example to others. And I have taken upon myself the
terrible task and responsibility of execution, for the simple
reason that there is no other who will do so ; and justice
must be satisfied. And now, having said all that there is to be
said, I leave you all to prepare for death as best you may."
Whereupon, the young man, with stern, set face, turned away
and walked over to Basset, who was still doing what he could
to alleviate the sufferings of the latest victim to the Inquisi-
tion's merciless methods of conversion.

" Well, Basset," he said, indicating the unfortunate indi
vidual in the chair, " whom have we here ? He looks to me
something like an Englishman."

"So he be/' answered Basset. "He says his name be
Job Winter, and that he was one of the crew of Admiral
Hawkins' ship, the Minion. He've been in this hell upon
earth since last August, and all that time they fiends in human
form up there," indicating the occupants of the dais, " have
been trying their hardest to make a good Catholic of him.
And this is how they've been doing it. Look to mun." And
very gently and tenderly the soldier disclosed certain horrible
and blood curdling injuries very recently inflicted, together
with a number of healed and half healed scars which bore
eloquent testimony to a long period of dreadful torment.
So frightful was the sight that both the beholders fairly reeled
under the horrible qualm of sickness and repulsion induced
by it, and if anything further was needed to confirm the
young Captain in his full determination to make an example
of the Inquisitors, he found it in the revolting spectacle before
him.

" My poor dear man," he said, his voice quivering with
compassion, " what you must have suffered ! But, cheer up ;
we are Englishmen and Devon men, like yourself, and one of
our purposes in coming here was to deliver you out of the
hands of these Spanish devils, and we'll do it, too. We've a

a

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 163

good surgeon aboard our ship, and you shall be in his hands
this very day, please God. Are there any more of you in
this place ? "

" He doesn't know, poor soul/' answered Basset, interposing,

but I do ; there be two more Englishmen that we've found
in the cells ; and they'm almost so bad as this man. We
found 'em safely locked up ; but they'm out now and being
taken care of by our men."

" Can they walk ? " demanded George.

" A few yards, perhaps," surmised Basset • " but not so
far as the wharf."

" Then they must be carried," decided George. " And
these men," indicating the scarlet-garbed individuals, whose
business it evidently was to actually carry out the fiendish
commands of the Inquisitors — " shall help to do it. I dare say
we can find all the additional help we need somewhere in
this building. I will go out and see to it ; and, meanwhile,
you will remain here and see that none of these persons
escape."

" Ay, ay," responded Basset, " I'll take care of that, trust
me. I don't think there'll be any trouble, after the example I
made of that fellow," pointing to the prostrate figure on the
paved floor. " The rascal presumed to dispute my authority
when I came in here and told everybody that they were
prisoners, and — there a be ! No, I don't think there'll be
any more trouble.

Whereupon George passed from the terrible chamber with

its fearful evidences of the dreadful lengths to which misguided

fanaticism will occasionally carry men, even in the cause of

religion, and proceeded to busy himself in making all the

arrangements necessary for the comfortable conveyance of

the three unfortunate victims of Inquisitional cruelty down to

the ship.

* * * * *

The thing was done ! Righteously, or unrighteously, it

j)

164 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

tt

was done at last, and the little party of stern, inflexible-
visaged Englishmen emerged from the Inquisition building of
San Juan de Ulua grouped protectively round the three litters
in which lay the quivering, emaciated, anguished bodies of
their fellow countrymen, delivered, against all hope, from a fate
a thousand times worse than any ordinary kind of death,
while within the gloomy, forbidding walls of the building
they left behind them nine corpses as a warning and example
that, even in that far off land, Englishmen might not be
tortured to death with impunity. It was a terrible demon-
stration of crude, primitive justice ; and whether or not
it was as effective in inculcating a lesson as it was intended
to be, it is now impossible to say ; but one thing at least
is certain, that from that time forward there is no recoid of
any Englishman having ever been received into the Inquisition
at San Juan.

The party reached the ship unmolested, although they
naturally attracted a great deal of attention during their
passage through the streets. How it would have been with
them during that short march if the inhabitants of the city
had been aware of the terrible tragedy which had just been
enacted within the walls of the Inquisition can never be
known, possibly it might have resulted in a still more terrible
tragedy in the streets, with far reaching results upon the city
itself, but St. Leger believed that he had taken every possible
precaution against such an occurrence.

As events proved, however, there was one precaution which he
had omitted to take ; he should have insisted upon the arrest
by the alcalde oi Don Manuel Rebiera, the acting Commandant,
upon that individual's display of hostility at the termination
of their interview with him ; and this George had not done.
Now, Don Manuel was both a bigoted Catholic and a Govern-
ment official. He was one of those who held that the Church
— and in his case the term included every individual belonging
to the Church could do no wrong ; even the atrocities of the

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH" 165

Inquisition, which many devout Catholics secretly reprobated,
were to him perfectly justifiable, and the institution itself
as sacred as the cathedral ; and the suspicion aroused within
him by George's question as to the whereabouts of the build-
ing that this little band of autocratic, domineering heretics
meditated an invasion of its sacred precincts, possibly with
the intention of perpetrating some act of violence therein,
and in any case desecrating it by their intrusion stirred his
fanatical religious rancour to boiling point, while the fact
that those same heretics held the town — a possession of his
Most Catholic Majesty — at their mercy, was not only as
great an offence from his patriotic point of view, but
he also felt that it inflicted a deep stain upon his honour
as a Spanish soldier, which he was resolved to wipe out,
if possible.

These feelings he had wit enough to understand he must
conceal from George and the alcalde, and he contrived to do
so pretty successfully ; but the effort only caused them to
gall and rankle the more intolerably, and when, at the termina-
tion of his interview with them, he quitted their presence
with a certain scarcely veiled hint of insolence in his manner,
he was in the throes of a perfect frenzy of anger and humilia-
tion ; in the precise frame of mind, in fact, as that of the man
who, forgetting everything but his own grievances, is ready
to commit any crime, however atrocious, in order to avenge
himself and salve his wounded feelings. Too often, unhappily,
reflection does not come until it is too late, and the crime
has been perpetrated, and Don Manuel's first impulse was to
muster his soldiers, follow after the Englishmen, and slay
them, if possible, before they should reach the Inquisition
building. But as he hurried toward the barracks with this
fell intention, he realized that what he meditated was impos-
sible ; before he could muster his soldiers and put them upon
the track, the Englishmen would have reached their goal ;
and once within the massive walls of the building, they would

i66 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH 1 '

be safe. But there was no leason, he told himself, why they
should not be attacked as they came out — and here his medita-
tions came to a sudden halt. There was a very good reason,
which was that, even if his meditated attack should prove
successful, only a paltry dozen of Englishmen would fall, and
their comrades would remain to wreak a terrible retribution,
in the course of which he, among others, would have to pay
the full penalty. No, that would not do at all ; it was not
that Don Manuel Rebiera was a coward ; very far from it ;
but with the speed of thought he pictured to himself the
happenings that must inevitably follow the perpetration of an
act of such base treachery as he meditated ; he saw in imagina-
tion the execution of the hostages — among whom, he suddenly
remembered, were one or two very dear friends of his own ;
the bombardment of the town, with the concomitant slaughter
of women and children as well as men ; the exasperation of the
citizens at the author of the deed which had brought such a
frightful calamity upon them, and his own arrest and summary
execution. No ; that would not do ; he was not in the
least afraid to face death in fair fight, but to be arrested
bv his own countrymen, handed over by them to the
hated English, and publicly hanged by the latter from
one of the yardarms of their ship — No ; he could not face
that ignominy.

Then what was to be done — ior something he was determined
to do ? He somehow found his way back to the private
room in his quarters, and there flinging himself into a chair, set
himself to think. And gradually from out the chaos of his
thoughts there emerged an idea, a plan, a mad, desperate
plan that, if successful, would mean the destruction or capture
of the Nonsuch and every Englishman aboard her, which was

what Rebiera wanted ; while, if it failed ! But it must

not, should not fail ; no, he would see to that. So presently
he took pen and paper, and proceeded to jot down his plan
of campaign, altering its details here and there as he went

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 167

on, until finally he had evolved a scheme that commended
itself to him as eminently satisfactory. Then he proceeded
to jot down a number of names of persons whose co-operation
it was necessary to secure ; and, this done, he called for an
orderly, who forthwith proceeded to ride hither and thither
about the city, calling at this house and that and leaving
instructions that the persons whom he named were to present
themselves without fail at the Commandant's office at a
certain hour, namely, four o'clock in the afternoon, which just
gave the Commandant nice time to complete his plans before
the arrival of the persons whom he had summoned to meet
him.

And in due time, with very commendable punctuality, those
persons turned up and were ushered into the Commandant's
private office. There were some thirty of them in all, and
when the whole of them were present Don Manuel proceeded
to address them, at first in quick, tense tones, which gradually
changed to the fiery, impassioned language and gestures
characteristic of an invocation. For a man of his parts he
was rather an able orator, moreover he was more profoundly
stirred than, probably, he had ever before been in the whole
course of his life. It is not to be greatly wondered at, there-
fore, that before he ended he had wrought his audience up to
almost as high a pitch of ferocity and enthusiasm as himself ;
and when at length he reached his peroration and concluded
by making a certain demand, the men who had hitherto sat
listening to him sprang to their feet with one accord and
vowed, by all they held sacred, that they would obey him
and perform his behest, or die in the attempt. And they
were all resolute, determined men, too, of the seafaring class,
who looked as though they might be safely counted upon
to keep their word ; wherefore, as soon as their excitement
had subsided sufficiently to permit of a return to business, Don
Manuel drew toward him a bundle of documents which he
h^d already prepared, and which were, in fact, temporary

168 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

commissions, and distributed them, one to each man present.
Then, selecting a particular memorandum from a number
which were lying upon his desk, and referring to it for guidance
from time to time, he proceeded to give specified instructions
to each person, who, having received them, at once rose
and bowed himself out, by which arrangement the party
gradually dissolved and left the building one man at a time,
thus reducing to a minimum the chances of attracting undue
attention.

The afternoon was well advanced when at length George
St. Leger and his party returned to the Nonsuch, and handed
over to Jack Chichester, the surgeon, the three human wrecks
whom they had rescued from the clutches of the Inquisition,
with special instructions that no pains were to be spared, no
trouble to be regarded as too great, nothing that the ship
contained too precious for the mitigation of their suffering
and, as all hoped, their ultimate restoration to something
approaching as nearly as might be to perfect health. It was
pitiful to witness the almost incredulous joy and transport
manifested by the unfortunates at finding themselves once
more in the midst of their fellow countrymen, and especially
of men who spoke in the accents of that beloved Devon whose
scented orchards, winding lanes, swelling moors, and lonely
tors they had utterly despaired of ever again beholding.
But they were sturdy fellows, too, and even broken down as
they were, with their strength sapped and their courage almost
quelled by long months of protracted agony and privation, they
quickly recovered spirit when once they found themselves
outside the gloomy precincts of the Inquisition building ;
and though, despite the utmost precaution and the most
tender care in getting them out of the boat and up the ship's
lofty side, the pain they suffered in the process must have
been excruciating, they made light of it, declaring, with a
laugh that moved those who heard it to tears so hollow

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 169

and pathetic was it that such pain was less than nothing
compared with the awful long-drawn-out torments to which
they had almost grown accustomed !

And if the three rescued Englishmen were glad to find
themselves once more, against all hope, delivered from the
power of their tormentors, and comparatively safe under the
shelter of the glorious Cross of St. George, the hostages who
had most unwillingly remained on board the English ship to
insure the good faith of their countrymen in which, if the
truth must be told, they had no very profound belief were
scarcely less so when they saw the little party of adventurers
return in safety from their desperate errand ; for that return
meant that one great danger at least had been safely passed,
and surely now they might rely upon the citizens of San
Juan to do nothing foolish. So they plucked up heart of
grace, and became quite cheery and affable with the English-
men until Heard, the purser, rather maliciously reminded
them that the matter of the indemnity still remained un-
settled and that many things might happen before the
citizens consented to part with such an enormous sum of
money. And the hostages would have felt very much more
disconcerted at his remark than they actually were, had
they dreamed that the Englishman was speaking truer than
he knew.

By the time that the excitement attendant upon the safe
return of the Captain and his escort had begun to simmer
down a little, night had fallen, and those who were not on
duty began to think of retiring to rest, for the day had been
a long and rather trying one to all hands, and especially so
to those who had been of the shore going party. But George
did not forget, nor would he allow anyone else on board to
forget, that the ship was in a hostile port, surrounded on all
sides by enemies ; and that although, for the moment, a
truce prevailed, nobody could possibly say how long that
truce might last, or at what moment it might be broken.

170 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH''

He reminded his compatriots that the harbour of San Juan
de Ulua, where they now lay, was the scene of that act of
stupendous treachery which it was a part of their business
to avenge ; he pointed out that it was the very people who
now surrounded them who had perpetrated that act of treachery
and were therefore quite capable of perpetrating another if
they believed that they saw the opportunity to do so success-
fully, and he drew their attention to the fact that although,
thank God, they had a sound ship under them, they were
very much fewer in numbers than those who were the
victims of the tragedy of a year ago, and were consequently
at least as tempting a mark as those others had been ;
and finally he issued his commands that the same
watches should be maintained as though the ship were at
sea, and that the utmost vigilance should be observed
by the look outs and especially by the officers, that the
ordnance should be kept leaded, that no man should
lay aside his arms, even to sleep ; and that, lastly, if any
craft or boat of any kind were seen to be approaching the
ship during the hours of darkness, she was to be first
challenged, and then fired upon if she did not immediately
reply.

The night fell dark and overcast, with a brisk easterly
breeze and occasional heavy rain squalls, taxing the vigilance
of the look outs to the utmost, and causing young St. Leger
to frequently quit his cabin to personally assure himself that
his instructions were being carried out in their entirety. But
nothing in the slightest degree suspicious was observed until
shortly after three o'clock in the morning, when Dyer, the
pilot, whose watch it then was, suddenly presented himself
at the door of George's cabin with the startling intimation
that two of the plate ships, if not three, seemed to have slipped
their cables and were getting under way. " There baint a
light to be seed aboard any of 'em," he reported, " and it's
so dark as Tophet, but I be certain sure that two of they

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 171

ships is setthV their canvas, and there be another that, to my
mind, be adrift."

" But how can that be, when we have the officers of the
ships aboard here ? " demanded George as he sprang from his
cot and followed Dyer out on deck.

" Don't know, I'm sure," answered Dyer ; " but it's a fact
that some of 'em be gettin' under way."

As the pair emerged from the poop cabin, they were met
by Drew, the boatswain, who reported :

" There be four of 'em on the move now, Cap'n ; and I
baint at all sure but where there's one or two more of 'em
makin' ready for a start, though the light be that bad "

" Mr. Dyer," interrupted George crisply, " let our cable be
buoyed, ready for slipping, and call all hands, if you please,
to fighting stations. Also, let the sail trimmers be sent aloft
to loose the canvas. We will get under way at once. It is
too dark for me to see anything just now, coming directly
from the lighted cabin, but I'll take your word for it that
things are as you say. Evidently, there is treachery afoot
again, somewhere ; and it will never do to allow any of those
plate ships to escape. Rather than permit that to happen,

I'll sink them!"

Thereupon there ensued on board the Nonsuch a brief period
of intense but almost silent activity, during which the severely
strict discipline which St. Leger had imposed upon his crew
amply justified itself, for every man exactly knew his station
and the duty which the exigencies of the moment demanded
of him, and did it without the need of a single superfluous
order. A few cries there were, of course, demanding that this
or that rope should be let go, or intimating that such and
such a sail was ready for setting, for the darkness was so intense
that it was impossible to see exactly everything that was
happening even aboard their own ship, nor was the work
executed with quite that automatic precision and astonishing
speed that is characteristic of the Navy of the present day;

172 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

yet the work went forward so smoothly and rapidly that within
ten minutes of the delivery of George's first order the Nonsuch
was under way and turning to windward in pursuit of the
plate ships that were cumbrously attempting to effect their
escape from the harbour.

Within the next five minutes it became evident that the
Spanish sailors were no match for the English, nor the Spanish
ships for the Nonsuch ; for although the former had secured
a pretty good start of the latter, they had slipped their cables
with only just enough canvas set to give them steerage way
and enable them to avoid colliding with other ships, slowly
increasing their spread of canvas as they went, whereas the
Nonsuch hung on to her anchor until practically the whole of
her working canvas was set, wherefore no sooner had the
ponderous hempen cable gone smoking out through her
hawse pipe than she came under command, when her extra-
ordinary speed at once told, and she began to rapidly overhaul
the ships of which she was in chase. But it was nervous work
threading her way out of that crowded anchorage in the
intense darkness, for there were fully fifty sail in the port,
apart from the plate ships, and for some unknown reason —
but probably in accordance with orders received — not one was
showing a light, consequently there were several occasions
when a collision was avoided cnly by the remarkable working
qualities of the ship herself and the instantaneous response
of the mariners to the orders issued from time to time from
the quarter-deck.

To avoid collision with a craft lying passively at anchor
was, under the circumstances, quite sufficiently difficult, but
it was infinitely worse when it came to steering clear of the
plate ships beating out of the harbour ; and indeed something
more than a mere suspicion soon took possession of the minds
of the English that a deliberate attempt was being made by
the Spaniards to either run them down or disable them, for
whenever, in the course of manoeuvring, they drew near a

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 173

Spanish ship, the latter seemed to alter her course and come
blundering headlong at them, when, if a collision had chanced
to have occurred, the English ship must of necessity have
been the greatest sufferer, because of her inferior size. But
here again the nimbleness of the Nonsuch and the activity
of her crew sufficed to avert disaster, and ship after ship was
overtaken and passed in deadly, ominous silence, for it was
George's intention to make no demonstration until he had
overtaken and weathered the leading ship, when he was deter-
mined to administer such a lesson as should not be readily
forgotten.

And at length the fateful moment arrived, about half an
hour after the Nonsuch had slipped her cable and slid away
from her anchorage. She had overtaken and passed every
ship but one, and that one was now approaching her, the two
ships being on opposite tacks. It was difficult, just then,
to determine which ship would weather the other ; but as the
distance between the two narrowed it presently became
apparent that neither would weather the other, and that a
collision was inevitable, unless one of the two gave way.
George issued certain orders, and then walked forward, climbed
the forecastle, that he might see the better, and intently nxed
his gaze upon the approaching ship. She was then about a
point on the lee bow of the Nonsuch, and was steering such
a course that, unless one or the other gave way, the stranger
must certainly strike the English ship somewhere between her
stem and foremast, probably bringing down the latter, most
certainly carrying away the bowsprit, and in any case rendering
the Nonsuch unmanageable. On she came, a blot of deeper
blackness upon the black background of the night, and it was
clear to George that those on board her were deliberately
manoeuvring to strike the English ship. But St. Leger had
already made his plans, and when presently the space between
the two craft had narrowed until only a few fathoms separated
them, and still there was no sign of the Spanish ship giving

174 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

way, the young man put a whistle to his lips and blew a shrill
blast, whereupon the helm of the Nonsuch was put hard up,
and as she bore broad away the whole of her starboard broad-
side was poured into the approaching ship, within biscuit-toss,
and the discharge was instantly followed by a dreadful outcry
aboard her, mingled with the sound of rending timbers ; and
as the two ships drove close past each other it was seen that
her foremast had been shot away. Then, to the amazement of all
on board the English ship, an order in Spanish was shouted,
and the next instant a straggling but heavy musketry fire
was opened upon the former from the decks of the latter, in
the midst of which George hailed the Spaniard with :

" Hola ! there. How dare you, sehor, quit your anchorage
without orders, and attempt to leave the harbour ? Return
at once, or I swear to you that I will sink you forthwith. If
you are not round and heading for the anchorage by the time
that I am again alongside you, I will give you another broad-
side. And — arrest the man, whoever he is, who issued the
order to you to open fire upon us, for somebody will have to
be punished for that outrage/'

Whether or not the Spaniards were able to assimilate the
whole of his instructions, George could not tell, for the two
ships were fast driving apart ; but when at length the Nonsuch
was hove about and once more approached the Spaniard's
weather quarter, with guns run out, a figure leaped up on
the plate ship's taffrail, frantically waving a lighted lantern,
and as he did so, he hailed :

" Do not fire upon us again, sefior, for the love of God !
We are busily engaged in clearing away the wreck of our fore-
mast, and as soon as that is done and the ship is once more
under command, I give you my word, upon the honour of a
Spaniard, that we will return to the anchorage."

" The honour of a Spaniard ! " retorted George, contemptu-
ously. " How much is that worth, after the specimen of it
which you have given me this night ? However, you cannot

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 175

possibly escape, so I will spare you for the present. Have
you arrested the man who ordered your musketeers to fire
upon us ? "

" No, sehor," was the answer. " Do you wish him to be
put under arrest ? "

" That was part of my order when I just now hailed you,"
retorted George. " But," he continued, "possibly you did
not hear me ; wherefore I repeat the order now."

" It shall be done," replied the stranger. " And, sehor,"
he continued, " although the evidence against us be strong,
I beg you not to think that all Spaniards are liars and faith-
less. There are some of whom I am one who know how to
keep faith as well as an Englishman ; and I wall keep faith
with you."

" See that you do so, sehor," retorted George, as the ships
again drew apart. " It will be better for you and those
with vou."

It was at this moment that the weather suddenly cleared,
the clouds drove away to leeward, and the stars shone forth
with that mellow lustre and brilliancy which renders a star-
lit night in the tropics so inexpiessibly beautiful ; in an instant
the intense darkness which had hitheito enveloped the scene
was rolled away like a curtain, and objects which a moment
before had been invisible were now seen with comparatively
perfect distinctness, the several ships which comprised the
plate fleet the whole of which were by this time under way-
and even the wharves and houses of the town gleaming faintly
and ghostly against the darker backgiound of the country
beyond and the blue black of the star spangled heavens. And
now, too, lights suddenly began to appear in the two batteries
which guarded the town. A few seconds later, as the Nonsuch
was steering to intercept and order back to her anchorage
the second of the escaping plate ships, first one and then the
otherof those same batteries opened fire, and that their ordnance
was levelled against the English ship immediately afteiward

176 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH 7 '

became apparent from the fact that several heavy shot came
hurtling immediately overhead, one or two of which passed
through the Nonstick' s canvas, but fortunately without inflict-
ing any more serious damage.

" Spanish treachery again ! " growled George to Basset,
who was now standing on the poop beside him. " It would
appear that the scoundiels know not what keeping faith
means. I felt fully convinced that by securing possession
of a dozen of the most important citizens as hostages, we should
effectually protect ourselves from all possibility of attack ;
but it is clear that there is somebody ashore there who cares
not what happens to the hostages, if he can only find a chance
to stiike at us a treacherous blow. Now, then, to deal with
this rascal/' indicating the approaching plate ship. " Severe
measures are best in such cases as this, and if we deal with this
fellow sharply, perhaps the others will take the hint, and return
to the anchorage without waiting to be shot at. Starboard
your helm, Mr. Dyer" — to the pilot ; " we will pass under this
fellow's stern, shaving him as closely as may be and pouring a
raking broadside into him as we pass ; and if that does not
make him bear up, we will follow him and give him another.
Now, gunners of the starboard battery, stand by your
ordnance, and discharge when we are square athwart this big
ship's stern."

The two craft were by this time within hailing distance
of each other, but perfect silence w r as maintained on board
both until the Nonsuch, by hauling her wind to pass under
the plate ship's stern, exposed practically the whole of her
deck to those aboard the bigger ship, when an order suddenly
rang out, and the whole of the Spaniard's bulwark instantly
Hashed into a hundred points of flame as a party of musketeers
aboard her discharged their weapons at close range. At such
an exceedingly short distance it was inevitable that a certain
number of casualties should occur, and George, with rage in
his heart, saw several figures collapse and fall upon the deck

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 177

of his own ship, Dyer's among them, while a bullet rang sharply
upon his own steel headpiece, causing him to stagger slightly.

" The villains ! " he muttered savagely ; *' they shall pay
dearly for this. Hold your fire, men ; do not discharge } T our
ordnance until we are square athwart his stern. Then let
him have it and rake him fore and aft I "

Some five seconds later, the starboard broadside of the
Nonsuch's ordnance, great and small, crashed out, one piece
after another in rapid succession ; and mingled with the roar
of the guns there arose a dreadful chorus of shrieks and yells
from the Spaniard's crowded decks. At the same instant the
shore batteries renewed their fire, and so eager, apparently,
were the artillerymen to destroy the English ship that they
seemed to care little though their own countrymen shared
her destruction, for at least half the shot fell on board the
ship that had just sustained such a punishing broadside from
the English, which still further added to the confusion on
board her. And when, a moment later, the Nonsuch hove
in stays, with the evident intention of repeating the dose
with her larboard broadside, the mere threat proved quite
enough, for the big craft hurriedly put up her helm and bore
away again for the anchorage, with her scuppers streaming
blood. The lesson seemed to have sufficed for the rest also ;
for, one after the other, as they saw the Nonsuch heading
toward them, they, too, bore up and headed back toward
the anchorage, while the artillerymen manning the batteries
plumped shot into them indiscriminately, apparently unable
to distinguish between friend and foe, so that, as they ran in
again, those who had hitherto escaped the broadsides of the
Englishmen received a pretty severe castigation from their
friends ashore. At length, however, the whole fleet got back
to the anchorage, well peppered on the one hand by their
own batteries, and, on the other, receiving an occasional
reminder from the Nonsuch, until they were all once more at
anchor, when the Englishmen, as they passed to their own

178 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

sheltered berth, stood close inshore and poured a couple of
broadsides into the nearest battery, so well directed and with
such deadly effect that it was effectually silenced, while, as
for the other, she soon passed beyond the range of its guns
and dropped her anchor as near to the spot which she had
previously occupied as could be determined by the elusive
light of the stars.

CHAPTER XI

How they Emptied the Strong Rooms of the

Twelve Plate Ships

The first thing done aboard the Nonsuch, as soon as she and
the other ships had come to an anchor, was to ascertain the
amount of loss and damage attendant upon this fresh display
of Spanish treachery, and this proved, upon examination,
to be very much less than might reasonably have been ex-
pected. The most serious were the casualties resulting from
musketry fire, but even these were by no means considerable,
the loss amounting only to three killed and seven wounded
two of the latter, however, being reported by Chichester as
serious cases. The ship herself had escaped damage in a
manner that was little short of miraculous, a few shots through
her canvas and two in her hull covering the full extent of her
injuries ; but this was probably due to ignorance on the part
of the artillerymen in the batteries, who, unused to distin-
guishing one ship from another, had failed to identify the
Nonsuch in the uncertain starlight, and had expended most
of their ammunition upon their friends, with disastrous results
to the latter, as subsequently appeared.

Meanwhile, the hostages, startled out of a light and troubled
sleep upon the first alarm that the plate ships were attempting
to escape, had sat huddled together in the great state cabin
throughout the succeeding hour and a half, quaking at every
command which reached their ears from the deck above,
quaking still more when the firing began, roundly denouncing
and execrating the criminal folly of those, whoever they

179

x8o THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

might be, who were responsible for this fresh breach of faith,
and anxiously debating the question as to whether the yourg
English Captain would hang the whole of them in reprisal,
or whether he would spare a certain number, and if so,
how many, and who. The alcalde had not returned to
the ship after leaving her in company with the Captain and
his armed guard on the previous day, having parted with
George outside the Government building when the English
men set out to visit the Inquisition, which ciicumstance had
been duly communicated to the hostages by St. Leger upon
his return ; and some of his fellow townsmen now manifested
a disposition to lay the blame for the affair upon his shoulders ;
the majority, however, were of the contrary opinion, and it
was this opinion upon which they grounded the hope which
ultimately arose that some of them at least might be spared.
For, they argued, if he were not guilty, he would take im-
mediate steps to discover who was, and having found the
guilty party, would cause his prompt arrest, after which they
might hope for his return to the ship to surrender the guilty
one. But everything was most horribly uncertain ; and the
more they debated the matter the worse complexion did it
assume ; so that by the time that the ship was back at the
anchorage and the anchor let go, they were all in a most piti
able state of distress and fright. And this state was in nowise
relieved when, as day was on the point of breaking, George
entered the cabin, and they noted the stern, set expression of
his features.

He gazed slowly round at the quaking company for some
moments in silence, and then said :

" Well, senores, you were yesterday convinced of the ability
of your countrymen to keep faith with an honourable enemy,
or I suppose you would not have consented to guarantee
their fidelity with your lives. What think you of them
now ? "

" Ah, noble senor/' exclaimed one of them — a certain Don

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 181

Martin de Sylva — " be merciful, I pray you, and do not hastily
wreak upon us, who are innocent, the vengeance so justly
provoked by the act of another. This is not the treachery
of a whole community, sefior, believe me, but is the deed ot
some mad zealot and, by all the Saints ! I believe I can
name him, too," he suddenly broke out, wheeling eagerly
round upon his fellow hostages and excitedly addressing
them. " What say you, sehores ; does not the whole com-
plexion of this unforgivable outrage point your suspicions
almost irresistibly toward one particular man ? Are we to
believe that our worthy alcalde is capable of imperilling the
lives of his fellow townsmen, as ours have been imperilled
this night, by an act of such base, wanton betrayal as all this
amounts to ? I say no, most emphatically ; for, apart from
every other consideration, what would he gain by it ? No ;
this is the deed of a man anxious to curry favour at any cost
with the Viceroy — -who, we know, hates the English, and
justly fears them, too, after his atrocious act oi last year ;
and what man so anxious to win favour in that direction as
I say it with deliberation, sehcres — Don Manuel Rebiera, the
acting Commandant of the military forces ? That, in my
humble opinion, noble Capitan, is the man whom we have
to thank for this latest outrage ; and I think nay, I hope —
that Heavens ! I wonder whether the alcalde will have
the courage — or, rather, the power to arrest him, Don
Manuel having the soldiery at his back."

" I had an interview with Don Manuel Rebiera, yesterday,"
remarked George ; " and I feel bound to admit that I observed
a certain something in his manner which to some extent
justif.es your suspicion of him. But whoever may be the
person responsible for last night's or, rather, this morning's-
proceedings, I most fervently hope, for your sakes, sefiores,
that he will be speedily found and delivered into my hands ;
for I tell you that somebody will have to pay very dearly
indeed for them. I shall do nothing rashly or hastily, sefiores-

182 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

you may reassure yourselves upon that point but an act of
basest, foulest treachery has been perpetrated, and retribution
must follow. If you can in any way, whether by suggestion
or otherwise, assist me to lay my hands upon the culprit, or
culprits, I strongly advise you to do so, for your own sakes ;
for, failing the actual guilty parties, you, senores, are the
persons who will have to pay the penalty." And, so saying,
George passed on and into his own cabin, leaving the hostages
almost as profoundly perturbed as before.

Meanwhile, Basset, acting under St. Leger's instructions,
had caused a boat to be lowered and manned by a strong
crew, fully armed, and in her had proceeded to board the
plate ships, one after the other, with the view of ascertaining
who had been in command during the futile effort to take
them to sea, also to arrest those persons, whoever they might
be, and bring them aboard the Nonsuch. This task occupied
fully two hours ; so that it was drawing well on toward break-
fast time when at length the boat returned, bringing with
her seven men — the remainder having somehow contrived
to effect their escape to the shore — who admitted having been
in temporary command of the ships during the night. These
men George questioned immediately upon their arrival ;
when the suspicion given expression to by one of the hostages
an hour or two earlier, was fully confirmed ; the prisoners
asserting that their written orders which they produced in
confirmation of their story — had been given them on the
previous afternoon by Don Manuel Rebiera, the acting Military
Commandant of the town and the representative of the
Spanish Government ; those orders being to get the ships
under way at a certain hour, with the twofold object of escap-
ing to sea, if possible, and of enticing the English ship to
follow them into the open, where she would be exposed to
the fire of the batteries, when it was hoped that she would
be destroyed, and the remnant of her crew captured. Upon
receiving this information George at once sat down and wrote

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 183

a letter to the alcalde, informing him of what had transpired,
and demanding the immediate arrest and surrender of the
acting Commandant, the penalty for non-compliance with
the command before noon, being the bombardment and sack
of the town. This letter he entrusted to one of the hostages
chosen by lot — who forthwith left the ship in a shore boat
which had been called alongside, promising that he would
leave no stone unturned to secure submission to the
English Captain's demands. Then all hands went to
breakfast.

Meanwhile, with the strengthening of daylight it was dis-
covered that the Nonsuch, upon returning to the roadstead
after her pursuit of the plate ships, had brought up so close
to the spot where she had slipped her buoyed anchor, that
the cable could be recovered by the simple process of running
out a warp to it ; and this was therefore the first job under-
taken when breakfast was over, the second anchor being at
the same time weighed and secured ; after which there was
nothing to be done but to wait until noon or the arrival of
a reply from the alcalde.

It was, however, not necessary to wait for noon ; for about
half-past ten o'clock a boat was seen approaching the Nonsuch
from the shore ; and when she presently drew near enough
to permit recognition of the faces of those in her it was seen
that the alcalde was her solitary passenger ; and very shortly
afterwards she ranged up alongside the English ship, and
Don Juan Alvarez climbed the side ladder in an evident state
of profound trepidation. He brought momentous news, to
the effect that it had indeed been Don Manuel Rebiera who
had taken upon himself to arrange the whole affair of the
preceding night ; and that when at daylight he had discovered
how completely his scheme for the destruction of the English
ship had failed — and had also realized, it is to be presumed,
all that his failure involved, the terrible retribution that
the English would be certain to exact, and the whole

x84 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH"

responsibility for which must rest upon his shoulders the un
happy man had retired to his private office in the Government
building, and, after writing and signing a document acknow-
ledging himself to be the sole culprit, had shot himself through
the head. To this piece of news the alcalde added the further
information that the soldiers, some eight hundred in number,
infuriated at the suicide of their chief, and the terrible affair
of the previous day at the Inquisition, for both of which
occurrences they held the English equally responsible, were
practically in a state of mutiny, and were parading the streets,
fully armed, loudly announcing their intention to kill any
Englishman who dared to leave the shelter of his ship and
venture ashore. Further, it appeared that the citizens,
about equally alarmed at the violence of feeling displayed by
the soldiers, and the fear that the town would be bombarded
in reprisal for the outrage perpetrated by Don Manuel, had
taken refuge in the cathedral and the various churches, where,
under the leadership of the priests, they were offering up
especial prayers for protection and deliverance.

" Very well, senor alcalde," said George, when that official
had completed his report; "you have made the state of
affairs ashore sufficiently clear for all practical purposes.
Now, touching the matter of the indemnity which I
have demanded, what has been done with regard to
that ? "

" Nothing— definite — so far — I regret to say," answered
the alcalde, haltingly. "Of course," he continued, "I have
discussed the matter with Don Manuel Rebiera, the late
acting Commandant ; but I found him exceedingly difficult
and untr actable to deal with. When I first broached the
subject to him, I regret to say that he immediately fell into
a most violent rage, and declared, with quite unnecessary
vigour, that he would have nothing whatever to do with the
payment of any indemnity, however small ; and when I
pointed out to him that the lives of twelve of our most

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 185

important and valued citizens hung in the balance, and might
very possibly be sacrificed unless he displayed a very much
larger measure of pliability- well I will not offend your
ears, most illustrious Capitan, by repeating his exact words,
but I may tell you they were to the effect that he would
rather every hostage were hanged, and the town itself laid
in ruins, than suffer the humiliation of being compelled to
pay an indemnity for an action which he, personally, regarded
as perfectly righteous and justifiable. On the whole, sehor,
I am inclined to think that it is just as well for all concerned
that Don Manuel is dead ; for I am convinced that, had he
continued to live, he would have proved an insuperable bar
to every kind of negotiation, and, quite possibly, have pre-
cipitated a further catastrophe. For he was a Government
official, and was possessed, in a very marked degree, of all
the arrogance, the tyrannical, overbearing manner, the blind,
intolerable pride, and the immeasurable contempt for every-
body and everything not official, that so strongly characterises
the representatives of Government in these territories. Yet,
on the other hand, his death places me in a dilemma from
which I can see no way of extricating myself ; for the Com-
mandant is so ill that it is impossible for me to discuss business
with him ; I dare not act upon my sole, unsupported author-
ity ; and if I have understood you aright, illustrissimo, you
will not give the time necessary to communicate with the
Viceroy. So what am I to do ? "

" I quite recognize the difficulty of your position, Don
Juan," answered George; " and perhaps the simplest way
will be for us to act entirely upon our own initiative, and
so relieve you of all responsibility in the matter. Therefore,
if you will kindly excuse me, I will leave you for a little while,
and will discuss the situation with my officers. And while
I am absent, you will have an opportunity to talk matters
over with these worthy gentlemen, your fellow citizens, who
are in the unfortunate position of being hostages for a good

186 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

faith that has been wantonly broken. Perhaps \\Lcn I return
you may find yourselves able to make a proposal, or at least
offer a suggestion/'

Having said which, the young Englishman bowed to his
involuntary guests, and went out on deck, where he invited
Basset and Heard to accompany him to the poop for the
purposes of a consultation. That same consultation proved
to be but a very brief affair ; for George opened it by clearly
explaining to his fellow adventurers the distinctive features
of the situation, as it then existed, and giving his own views
as to the manner in which it might best be met ; whereupon
his companions at once agreed to his suggested course of
procedure, daring though this was, and the conference, if
such it might be called, broke up, having lasted less than
a quarter of an hour. Then, while Basset and the purser
resumed the duties upon which they had previously been
engaged, St. Leger returned 1o the state cabin to announce
to the anxious alcalde and his companions the decision which
had been arrived at.

t( Well, senores," he remarked cheerfully, glancing round
at the expectant faces so eagerly raised to his, as he entered
the cabin, " I have discussed with my officers the difficulty
which confronts us all, and we have resolved upon a course
of action which I trust will be acceptable to you. We have
come to the conclusion that it is not the inhabitants of San
J uan who are responsible for the occurrences of last night ;
and therefore it would be unjust for us to punish them, through
you, for what happened. Therefore if nothing further of an
untoward character occurs during the stay of the Nonsuch
in your harbour, your own lives are safe, and your town will

be spared by us ." Here a sigh of profound relief floated

round the cabin, accompanied by a little stir as the hostages'
tense attitudes relaxed and they settled themselves into more
comfortable positions. li But/' continued George, " the fact
remains that a daring and treacherous attempt to effect our

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 187

destruction was made last night, as of course you are all fully
aware ; and that attempt must be very severely punished,
and ample compensation exacted.

" Now, it is perfectly clear, from what your respected alcalde
has told us, that the outrage- for I can call it nothing less
was instigated by, and carried out under the direction of,
an official representative of the Spanish Government ; there-
fore, since that official has placed himself beyond the reach
of punishment, the Government of which he was a repre-
sentative, and on behalf of which we are to assume he acted,
must pay the penalty. Fortunately for you and us, who are
the parties most intimately concerned, the means whereby
your Government can be most severely punished, and an
ample penalty paid, lie close to hand, in the plate ships at
present in your harbour ; and it is our intention to avail
ourselves of that circumstance by confiscating the whole of
the treasure now on board them ; and I have accordingly

issued orders that they are to be brought alongside this ship,
one after another, and the treasure removed with all expedi-
tion from their strong rooms to our own. In this way your
Government will be the only loser, your own lives and property
will be spared ; and we trust that the plan will consequently
commend itself to you. The only feature of the plan which
may perhaps be distasteful to any of you is that I shall feel
myself compelled to keep Don Juan Alvarez, your worthy
alcalde, as well as yourselves, a prisoner until the transfer
has been effected ; and I do this solely because he happens
to be the only person among you who wields any authority,
and it may possibly be necessary for him to exercise that
authority from time to time, in order to restrain the crews
of the various ships from causing trouble. Now, sefiores,
what think you of my plan ? ,;

For a few moments dead silence reigned in the cabin, the
fact being that the Dons were literally smitten speechless by
the paralyzing enormity of the proposed insult and injury to

i88 THE CRUISE OF THE €t NONSUCH "

the dignity of that Government which, in theii eyes, was only
a shade less sacred than the Church, and their first emotion
was one of overwhelming indignation against those whose
colossal insolence and audacity rendered them capable of
such an overwhelmingly humiliating proposal. But the
offence to their national pride was quickly swamped by con-
siderations of their own personal safety, and as one man they
soon came to the conclusion that anything yes, anything,
even the humiliation of their king, was better than the
sacrifice of their own lives and the destruction of their own
property which would be involved in a retaliatory bombard-
ment and sack of the town. If the Government chose to
leave San Juan de Ulua in so defenceless a condition as to
render such an outrage possible, then let Government suffer
the humiliation and the loss ! Such were, in substance, the
dominant thoughts in the minds of the alcalde and his fellow
prisoners ; and at length, perceiving that none of the others
were willing to speak, one, Don Martin de S} T Iva, the
oldest as well as the most prominent and important of
the hostages, rose to his feet and said, slowly and
impressively :

"Senor Capitan, you have asked for our opinion of your
most astounding proposal ; and I will give you mine, which
I put forward as my own exclusively, and which I do not
pretend to advance as in the slightest degree representative
of those of my companions. In the first place, I must be
permitted to remind you that, although one of the avowed
purposes of your visit to our city is to avenge and exact
compensation for an attack upon your countrymen in our
harbour, last year, which we all deplore and deprecate, you
have as yet offered us no proof of your authority for such
action, which, for all that we know, may have been taken
actually without the knowledge of those who are legitimately
entitled to regard themselves as the injured parties ; there-
fore I think you must acknowledge that it is not surprising

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 189

if we and our Government have been slow to recognize your
claims. You may have been duly accredited by Her Majesty
the Queen of England to exact the reparation which you
demand ; but, if so, I think you ought to have submitted
your credentials when you made your claim, and that claim,
I venture to suggest, should have been made in proper
diplomatic form, instead of being, as it was, a mere threat.
But if you hold no credentials from Her Majesty, and your
authority is self-imposed, the conduct of which I complain
is quite comprehensible, and although it may be in the highest
degree irregular I am prepared to admit that it is not altogether
unjustifiable, since I understand that your own brother was,
and indeed still is, a sufferer from the attack upon Admiral
Hawkins' fleet. Your claim on his behalf I am willing to

admit is not outrageously unreasonable, and I deeply regret
that it was not immediately met and promptly discharged.
The most unfortunate feature of the whole affair is of course
the action which that misguided and over-zealous fool, Re-
biera, took during the early hours of this morning. That
action completely disarms us and perhaps — I only say perhaps
justifies you, in a measure, m the stupendous demand which
you are now making. For my own part, I have no hesitation
in expressing the opinion that, as reparation only, your de-
mands are excessive and far beyond all reasonable bounds.
But if they are intended — as I gather they are — to be regarded
also as a wholesome chastisement of our Government for an
act of treachery on the part of one of its officials, then I have
nothing further to say. You have the power to exact what
terms you please, and if you choose to exercise that power,
we have not the means to prevent you. For myself, all I
can say is that I am very grateful to you that you have been
so fair-minded as to admit the innocence of myself and my
fellow hostages in connection with an affair over which we
have had no control, yet for which you might, had you so
chosen, have exacted our lives as a penalty." Having thus

igo THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

delivered himself, the old Don bowed gravely and resumed
his seat.

"Thank you, Don Martin/' answered George, good-
humouredly. " I asked for an opinion, and you have given
me yours, frankly and fearlessly ; and I imagine, from the
expression of approval which I seem to read upon your com-
patriots' faces, that their opinion coincides with your own
pretty closely. Well, be it so ; naturally, you and I regard
this whole matter from two very different points of view.
Now, what says your worthy alcalde ? Is he willing to
exercise his authority over the crews of the ships, if
necessary, in order to avert further trouble and compli-
cations ? "

The alcalde rose to his feet and bowing, with the
native grace of the high-bred Spaniard, to George,
replied :

" Assuredly I will, senor ; for the power is in your hands,
and you can enforce obedience if you see fit. And anything
will be preferable to the useless slaughter which I foresee
would inevitably result from ineffective and ill advised action
on the part of our mariners. To avoid that deplorable waste
of life, therefore, I am prepared to intervene, should the
necessity unhappily arise. At the same time, sefior, I feel
it due to myself to join my protest to that of my friend, Don
Martin de Sylva, and, I think I may add, the rest of us here
present, against what I cannot avoid regarding as the tre-
mendously excessive penalty which you are about to impose
in retaliation for the ill-judged action of one man, who has
already paid with his life for his mistake." And therewith
Don Juan resumed his seat, to the accompaniment of approv-
ing murmurs from his companions.

" Very well, then," said George, composedly ; " that
matter is also settled. And now, senor, I think it will be
advisable that you should accompany me out on deck„ and
hold yourself ready to act, if required ; for, frojn the. sounds

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 191

which reach me, it would seem that the first of your ships is
being hauled alongside ; and your intervention may therefore
be needed at any moment."

As it happened, however, no intervention on the part of
the alcalde was required ; possibly his presence on the poop
of the Nonsuch beside George, where he could be distinctly
seen by everybody, may have exercised a wholesome restraint
upon the Spanish crew ; or the sight of the entire crew of the
English ship, mustered on deck, armed to the teeth, the
gunners standing by their ordnance with lighted matches,
may have had something to do with it ; be that as it may,
the Spanish seamen offered no resistance when it became
apparent that the English were about to transfer the treasure
from the plate ships' strong rooms to their own ; nay more,
they even assisted in the transfer, when commanded to do
so, although it must be confessed that they worked with
sullen countenances, and many muttered threats and
grumblings.

There were twelve plate ships in the harbour, of which
number ten were fully loaded ; but when it came to inspecting
the strong rooms ot these ships it was found that all twelve
of them had received their full complement of treasure, con-
sisting of silver bars, gold bricks ea^ch separately sewn up
in its casing of hide, as transported from the mines and one
large chest of pearls, the proceeds of the whole previous 3*ear's
fishing in the adjacent waters. The gold and silver also
represented a whole year's produce of the mines ; and so
enormous was the quantity of the precious metals that its
transfer to the Nonsuch occupied six entire days ; while,
when at length the task was completed, the Nonsuch,
stout ship as she was, floated the deeper by a good five
strakes !

The work was completed on a certain day, about an hour
after sunset ; and at the very urgent request of the alcalde
and his friends the hostages, George arranged to leave the

192 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

port forthwith ; for although no actual demonstration had
been made against the ship, news had come off from the
shore, from time to time, to the effect that the whole town
was seething with indignation at the sight of such an enormous
amount of treasure being seized by the hated English, while
the soldiery weie going about the streets breathing fire and
slaughter and doing their utmost to incite the town folk to
unite with them in a determined effort to recapture the trea-
sure and annihilate the English pirates ; while, as the time
went on, it became perfectly evident that only the fear of

bombardment restrained the civilians from entertaining the
proposal ; and, even so, the alcalde was in a perfect agony of
fear lest, despite all the efforts of his friends ashore, some
rash act on the part of the soldiery and the rougher element
among the civilians, should yet precipitate a catastrophe.
Therefore, no sooner was the last gold brick transferred than
the alcalde and his fellow prisoners overwhelmed George with
most urgent solicitations that, having now accomplished all
he had planned, he would proceed to sea forthwith ; which,
there being no reason to the contrary, the young captain
willingly consented to do. Accordingly, the canvas was
loosed, the anchor hove up to the bows ; and, the alcalde and
his friends having been transferred to the ship alongside, the
fasts were cast off, the topsails sheeted home, and under the
impulse of a gentle off-shore breeze the Nonsuch stood out of
the harbour of San Juan de Ulua, after a sojourn of a full
week pregnant with events of great and far-reaching import-
ance. It afterwards transpired that the English had only got
away from the port by the bare skin of their teeth ; for within
twenty-four hours of their departure the belated convoy
arrived with the plate ships from Cartagena and Nombre de
Dios ; and when the Spanish Admiral was made acquainted
with the details of George's daring raid — which was within
an hour of his arrival — he was so convulsed with rage that in
the height of his passion he ordered the entire convoy to

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 193

weigh and put to sea again — leaving the newly-arrived plate
ships to take care of themselves and their precious cargoes
as best they might — with instructions to the captains that
they were on no account to return without the English ship.
The result of this mad order was that the convoy was absent
for three full weeks, during which George, had he only known
it, might have returned and filled the Nonsuch with treasure
until she would hold no more. But while the Spanish captains
were straining their ships to pieces by threshing to the north-
ward under a heavy press of sail, under the conviction that
the English were homeward bound and were heading north
to avail themselves of the assistance of the Gulf Stream, the
heavily-laden Nonsuch was steadily working to windward
across the Gulf of Campeche, making for the northern coast
of Yucatan, on her way back to the little desert island off the
southern coast of Jamaica, where the adventurers had buried
their first haul of treasure.

For now that the Nonsuch was loaded down with so fabu-
lously rich a freight, the first consideration of its new owners
was to temporarily deposit it in some place of safety while
they pursued their quest of the missing Hubert St. Leger,
lest haply misfortune should befall them and, losing their
ship, they should lose their treasure also. And now it was
that George had his eyes opened, for the first time, to one at
least of the disadvantages of so stupendous a stroke of good
fortune as had been his and his companions'. For their haul
of treasure had been so enormous that the men had got tired
of handling it before its transfer had been completed ; nay
more, they were actually satisfied with the amount of their
wealth ; and when George first announced his intention of
burying it with the rest, prior to pursuing his search for his
lost brother, there were those among his crew who loudly
protested that they were now rich enough to return at once
to England with what they had ; that it would simply be a
tempting of Providence to pursue the adventure further j

N

194 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

I*

and that, for their part, they had had quite enough of the
Indies. But St, Leger speedily quelled these murmurs by
mustering the crew and reading to them the Articles of Agree-
ment which all had signed, and which clearly set forth the
objects with which the voyage had been undertaken, among
which was distinctly specified the finding and deliverance of
Mr. Hubert St. Leger. And having read these Articles,
George proceeded to inform the crew of his determination
to hold all hands to their bargain, reminded them of the pains
and penalties provided by way of punishment for breaches,
or even attempted breaches, of any Article of the covenant,
and wound up by declaring that, rather than abandon his
search for his brother, he would maroon the malcontents and
leave them to find their way back home as best they could.
And, as the malcontents proved after all to be but a small
proportion of the crew, this threat quietened them, at
least for the time being, and no further murmurs were

heard.

On the morning of the ninth day after their departure
from the harbour of San Juan de Ulua the adventurers sighted
Cape Catoche, the most northerly point of the Peninsula of
Yucatan, broad on the lee bow, tacked two hours later and
made a stretch off the land until sunset, when they tacked
again to the southward ; and on the following day at noon
their reckoning showed that they had accomplished their
passage through the Strait of Yucatan and were once more
in the Caribbean Sea. Eight days later the treasure island
was sighted from aloft at sunrise ; and by noon the Nonsuch
with her cargo of treasure was safely at anchor under the
lee of the island, and as close to the beach as it was prudent
to take her. As soon as the canvas was furled and everything
made snug aloft, all hands were piped to dinner ; and at the
conclusion of the meal two boats were lowered and manned,
their crews well provided with mattocks, shovels, and other
implements for digging, and were dispatched to the shore under

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 195

the command of Dyer, who had by this time sufficiently
recovered from his hurts to be able to sit in a chair and super-
vise the operations of the working party. And while these
were busily engaged in the excavation of a pit capacious
enough to receive the enormous amount of treasure in the
hold of the Nonsuch, George with the remainder of the crew
was as busily employed in getting the treasure up on deck in
readiness for its transfer to the shore, and making such
preparations as they deemed necessary for its adequate
protection.

The particular part of the treasure about which St. Leger
was most anxious was the chest of pearls. He had not the
most remote idea as to its value, but he knew that it must
be almost fabulous ; and he knew also how easily the delicate
gems might be injured by damp penetrating to them from
the surrounding earth ; he therefore took the most elaborate
precautions for their protection, those precautions being
initiated immediately after the departure of the ship from
San Juan. His first step was to have the junction of the
lid with the box carefully and effectively caulked with cotton \
and when tins was done to his satisfaction he caused the
exterior of the box t© be painted several coats of thick paint,
with the object of rendering the wood damp-proof. But, not
content with this, he further caused the sailmaker to make
two canvas coats to fit tightly over the chest, one coat over
the other, and each coat securely fastened by a lacing. Then,
when the paint on the chest itself was quite dry, the first
canvas coat was slipped on, carefully laced, and then painted
four coats, each coat of pamt being allowed to dry before the
next was applied. Then the second canvas coat was put on,
the reverse way of the first, and secured. This was then
coated several times with Stockholm tar, to preserve it from
decay ; and finally, when the last coat of tar was quite dry,
the exterior was thickly coated with boiling pitch, as a cul-
minating precaution, after which George decided that he had

ig6 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

done everything possible for the preservation of the pearls
and that they must now be left to take their chance.

It took the crew a full fortnight to transfer to the shore,
bury, and cover up the treasure in such a manner as effec-
tually to obliterate all traces of their operations ; and on the
morning of the fifteenth day after their arrival they hove up
the anchor and made sail southward for Nombre de Dios,
where George hoped to obtain some clue to the whereabouts
of his brother Hubert.

CHAPTER XII

How they Lost Two Men, and Encountered a Hurricane

It was with a feeling of deep, indeed, almost perfect, satisfaction
that George St. Leger stood upon the poop of his vessel that
day, and watched the tops of the coco-nut trees on " Treasure
Island," as the men had come to name the place, gradually
sink beneath the northern horizon ; for not only had he in-
sured the financial success of the expedition — so far as human
effort could insure it by gaining possession of an enormous
amount of treasure, but he had placed that treasure beyond
the possibility of loss by the chances of battle and shipwreck
at least until the time should arrive to shape a course for home.
Also, having accomplished these things, he was now absolutely
free to prosecute that object which, in his eyes at least, had
been the most important one connected with the voyage,
namely, the search for and deliverance of his brother Hubert.
There was also one other reason why the young captain re-
joiced to find himself once more out of sight of land, and that
was the state of the weather. Shortly after sunset on the
previous day he, in common with others of the ship's company,
had noticed a gradual lessening of the strength of the trade
wind, but everybody had then been too busy to do more than
just casually comment upon it ; moreover the decline had at
first been no greater than had been before observed upon more
than one occasion. But the lessening process had continued
very gradually all through the night and was still continuing,
to such an extent indeed that by the time that the last signs

bf the island's whereabouts had vanished, the speed of the

*9?

198 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

ship had sunk to a bare four knots, and that, too, with the
wind broad abeam. It was not, however, the mere softening
of the trade wind that caused George to congratulate himself
upon having secured an offing ; it was the aspect of the sky,
which was beginning to awake within him — and Dyer, too,
for that matter — a certain feeling of uneasiness. For the
Nonsuch was now within the limits of the hurricane area, the
hurricane season had arrived as Hawkins and Drake had
learned to their cost just a year earlier, when, not very far
from the spot where the Nonsuch then floated, their fleet had
been caught in and all but destroyed by two of those devastating
storms that, for three months of the year, sweep, raging, over
the face of the Caribbean, leaving death and destruction in their
wake — and there were indications that a change of weather was
impending. The rainy season had long set in, and skies over-
cast by great masses of slate-blue cloud surcharged with rain
and electricity were no new thing to the Nonsuch's crew,
but the aspect of the sky on this particular day was of an
altogether different character. It had begun with a paling
of the brilliant azure, and had been so gradual that it was quite
impossible to say when it had begun ; the only thing certain
was that a change was taking place and that a film of thin,
transparent vapour was overspreading the entire sky and
gradually reducing the sun in its midst to a shapeless blotch
of dull yellow, while the wind continued steadily to decrease
in strength. Two hours before the time of sunset the great
luminary had become so completely obscured that all trace of
him was lost ; yet nothing in the shape of a cloud was to be
seen, nothing but the veil of colourless vapour which obscured
the sky, yet left the whole expanse of ocean almost unnaturally
clear from one horizon to the other ; and all the time the wind
was falling, so that when at length the night suddenly closed
down about the ship and she became enveloped in a darkness
that might almost be felt, she had no more than bare steerage
way ; while by eight o'clock in the evening even this was lost,

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 199

and the Nonsuch lay breathlessly becalmed and slowly swing-
ing with the low heave of the swell, with her head first this
way and then that. And with the cessation of the wind, the
heat, which had all day been stifling, became so intolerable
that the idle crew could no nothing but lie about the decks,
gasping, for to go below was altogether out of the question.

Thus matters continued until close upon midnight, when
a sudden flicker of sheet lightning lit up the scene for perhaps
a couple of seconds, revealing a sky packed with clouds of so
threatening and portentous an aspect that George, suddenly
smitten with the apprehension that he had already delayed
too long, gave the order for the fore and main topsails to be
close reefed and all other canvas to be furled with the utmost
expedition possible, and the men, with much grumbling, crept
out from their secluded corners and slowly proceeded to drag
their relaxed and sweating bodies up the rigging. To shorten
sail in such opaque darkness as then enveloped the ship was
a lengthy task, and it was nearly one o'clock in the morning
before that task was completed and the exhausted men were
once more down on deck.

It was about halt an hour later that there came to the ciew
of the Nonsuch the first premonition of a happening so extra-
ordinary and so gruesome that the historian hesitates to record
it, yet, after all, the story but adds one more to the already
innumerable confirmations of the statement that " truth is
stranger than fiction."

The men had distributed themselves here and there about
the main deck, after searching with some care for such
spots as were favoured with a light draught of wind set up
by the slow roll of the ship upon the oil-smooth swell, and
had disposed themselves to court sleep, if peradventure it
would visit them and so bring relief from the heat and closeness
of the suffocating night, while the young captain and Dyer,
the pilot, occupied chairs on the poop, where they sat patiently
watching for what might next happen — but it is safe to say.

200 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

never dreaming of what that happening was to be, for their
thoughts went not a step beyond the matter of weather.

The night was still intensely dark, so dark indeed that the
feeble glimmer of the low turned lamp in the main cabin, shin-
ing through the skylight and faintly irradiating the deck
planks in its immediate vicinity was almost irritatingly dazzling,
since it effectually blinded the sight to everything outside
the irradiated area, and at length George rose to his feet with
the intention of calling an order to have the skylight masked
by a tarpaulin, when, as he stood upright and his head rose
above the level of the bulwark rail, a faint whiff of a strange but
peculiarly disgusting and offensive odour assailed his nostrils.

" Phew ! " he ejaculated, forgetting all about the tarpaulin
in the sensation of wonder evoked by the strangeness of the
effluvium — "what in the world doth this mean ? Dost catch
it, Dyer ? "

"Catch what ?" demanded Dyer, also rising to his feet.

ti Ti1 • >>

Phew ! " he continued, as the smell struck his nostrils
"Catch it ? That do I, with a murrain on it ! Now, what doth
this portend ? There's no land nearer to us than our treasure
island, and it cometh not thence, I dare swear, the smell's
too strong for that ; indeed I'd say that it cometh from close
alongside — and maybe it doth, too ; the smell's not unlike to
stinking fish, yet there be something else to it beside. And
it 'tis a dead fish, cap'n, then all I can say is that it's a mighty
big one. Maybe 'tis a dead whale, yet I don't exactly think
it. I've passed to leeward of a dead whale, wi' a cloud o' gulls
and what not feedin' upon un, and the smell was different from
this ; just so strong, but different, and if my memory sarves
me — even wuss. And if 't was a whale, the gulls ' d be swarmin 1
about un, fillin' the air wi' their cries, but I don't hear a sound.

And, as to seem' — well, I wish't would come on to lighten a bit,

then us might "

" Aft there ! " came a hail at this moment from the fore
deck. " Do'e happen to smell anything strange in the air, sir?"

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 201

" Ay, ay, we do " answered George ; " the odour is strong
enough, goodness knows. Who is it who is hailing ? "

" Drew, the bo's'un, sir," came the answer, with a sharpness
in it which effectually prevented its recognition by the two
officers upon the poop. There was a note of alarm in the voice,
and it was apparent that the men who had been endeavouring
to sleep had risen to their feet and were excitedly discussing
the phenomenon, for a low murmur of many voices came
floating aft from the forecastle.

' Light a lantern, Drew," ordered George, " bend it on to
a rope's end, and sling it overside. Maybe the light will show
us something."

"Ay, ay, sir," floated back the answer, with that faint,
elusive suggestion of sadness in its tone which seems to charac-
terize the human voice when heard in the midst of the lonely
ocean on a night of darkness and calm. There followed a
slight scuffling of feet, another subdued murmur of voices,

a pause of a few moments, then the sharp clink of flint and
steel, a tiny spark of light, and finally the mellow glow of a
ship's lighted lantern.

"Sling it over the bows, to start with," ordered George,
" and then, if you can see nothing, walk slowly aft with it."

Another " Ay, ay," was quickly followed by the disap-
pearance of the lantern over the fore extremity of the top-
gallant forecastle, and then in the faint upward sheen from

the lamp the dimly illuminated outline of the boatswain's
face and form appeared, his outstretched right hand grasping
the line to which the lantern was attached, while his left held
the spare coil. His eyeballs gleamed as his gaze went out
searching to its utmost confines the small space of illuminated
water, apparently without result, for he presently began to
move slowly aft, pausing for a short space of time in the foot
oi the fore-rigging, outside which he passed. Then, as he
paused and the light grew steady, the two men on the poop
caught wavering glimpses of a long line of very faintly lighted

202 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

figures leaning over the larboard rail, from the after extremity
of the forecastle to the fore end of the poop, all eagerly scan-
ning the gleaming, oil-like surface of the water, while here and
there one pointed as though he believed he saw something.
But although both George and Dyer were straining their eye-
sight to the utmost they could find nothing to reward their
search, nay, even although at that moment a flicker of sheet-
lightning gleamed for an instant along the north-western
horizon. But the ship was at that moment swung with her
head to the south-west, consequently the lightning was on the
wrong side of her to afford any assistance. Moreover, it
was no sooner come than it was gone again, yet not so soon
but that George, and perhaps half a dozen others, raising their
heads at the momentary illumination of the sky, saw, suspended
overhead, an enormous mass of black, impending cloud, with
jagged, ragged edges so wonderfully suggesting rent and totter-
ing rocks about to fall upon and crush the ship and all in her,
that quite involuntarily he uttered a low cry and cringed as
though to escape an expected blow. And at that precise
moment, as the young captain cowered and crouched, he
felt a slight movement in the stagnant air about him, very
much as though a great wing had swept immediately over his
head so close that it had all but touched him, indeed he be-
lieved that it whatever it might have been — had actually
touched him, for unless his imagination had begun to play
tricks with him he could have sworn that he felt the cap on his
head move as though it had been grazed by some passing object.

" What was that ? " he gasped, starting back from the rail
over which he had been leaning, and flinging up his hand to his
head. " Dyer, did you see or feel anything ? "

" I saw the sky for a second, if that's what you mean ;
and I don't at all like the look o't ; I've never see'd a sky
quite like that avore " answered Dyer.

" No, neither have I," interrupted George ; " and I like

the look of it as little as yourself. I believe it means that a

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 203

hurricane is brewing. But I was not referring to the sky.
At the moment when that gleam of lightning came I fancied
that I felt something sweep through the air just above my
head, and "

" Hush ! hark ! what be that ? " interrupted Dyer in his turn,
placing a restraining hand on George's arm as he spoke, and
in the silence that ensued there came to their ears from behind
them a low, intermittent, grating sound, like — like what ?
Well, as much like some rough substance being slowly dragged
over the poop rail, immediately behind them, as anything to
which they could compare it.

" Who be you, and what be 'e doin' there ? " demanded
Dyer, dashing across the deck. But he was ]ust too late, tor
a moment before he reached the rail the sound ceased, and
he found nothing. But the horrible odour — something between
putrid fish and decaying seaweed — was stronger than ever.

" You, bo's'un, haul up thicky lantern and bring un along
here, quick," yelled Dyer. ' Whatever 't is that's raising
this here smell, 't is alongside the ship, and 't is alive I And come
up here, half a dozen o' you men down there in the waist
and bring axes wi' ye."

The boatswain quickly hauled up his lantern, and, accom-
panied by some ten or a dozen of the bolder spirits among
the crew the latter having hastily armed themselves with
axes and pikes from the racks — hurried up to the poop, and a
few moments later George and Dyer were curiously examining
with the aid of the lantern's feeble light certain fresh excoria-
tions on the poop rail which looked as though they might
have been produced by a large and very coarse rasp forcibly
drawn over it, while the men with pikes and axes crowded
close up behind them, peering eagerly over their shoulders.
They were still thus engaged when there suddenly flashed
up over the rail a long slim, snake like object, the precise
nature of which it was impossible to determine in the intense
darkness only faintly dissipated by the inefficient light of the

204 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

lantern, and while all hands stood gaping dazedly at it the
thing curled in over the rail lightly touched the boatswain
upon the chest, and instantly with a lightning like movement
coiled itself tightly about his body, encircling his arms and
shoulders.

The man gave vent to a yell of dismay as he felt the coil
of the horrible thing tighten round him, and the next instant
screamed, in a voice hoarse and sharpened by terror :

" He've a got me ! HeVe a got me and 's dragging of me
overside I Hold on to me, dear souls, and don't let mun
take me. Oh ! I be goin' — he'm squeezin' the very life out
o' me — save me, shipmates, save "

Crunch ! George had snatched an axe out of the hand of one
of the paralysed seamen near him and, exerting all his strength,
had brought it down upon the writhing, straining thing where
it crossed the stout timber rail of the poop, with the result that
the keen blade had completely severed the thing, and the
boatswain, with some eight or nine feet of the creature still
clinging to his body, and the three men who had seized him in
response to his terrified cries, went reeling backward from the
rail and fell together in a heap upon the deck, taking the lantern
with them, which was smashed and extinguished by the fall.
At the same moment a terrific commotion arose in the water
alongside, George received a violent blow which swept him
off his feet and flung him heavily to the deck, and two men
shrieked out the startling news that the thing — whatever
it was — had got them and was dragging them overside, while
confusion reigned supreme, not only on the poop, where a
general stampede ensued, but also down on the main deck,
where men were hastily arming themselves in defence from

■they knew not what. And the sickening odour which had
first announced the presence of the creature arose with re-
doubled strength, pervading the ship from end to end.

For perhaps five or six minutes the confusion and panic

aboard the Nonsuch was of a character to defy description ■

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 205

men rushed, yelling, hither and thither in the darkness, colliding
with each other and screaming under the impression that the
convulsive embrace of their shipmates was the encircling
grip of the unknown monster, heavy blows resounded here and
there upon the deck, as though a giant cable was threshing
the planking, causing the ship to quiver from stem to stern,
the two men actually caught in the coils of the creature were
shrieking horribly as they clung with tenacious grip to the rail
over which they were being inexorably dragged; and over all
rose the voice of Dyer calling for more lanterns.

Then suddenly there came a final despairing shriek from the
two unfortunate men as they were dragged overboard, carrying
with them a length of the stout rail to which they had been
desperately clinging, the smashing blows upon the deck ceased,
together with the turmoil in the water alongside, and presently
four men came hesitatingly along the deck, carrying lighted
lanterns. With still greater hesitation they at length per-
mitted themselves to creep up the poop ladder, when the first
object revealed by the light of their lanterns was the senseless
body of the boatswain, his arms and shoulders still encircled
by a snake-like object of light brownish-grey colour. The
poor man had apparently swooned with terror, or, perhaps, the
revulsion of feeling from it when he felt the sudden relaxation
of the awful drag upon his body ; and near him sat the captain
upon the planks, bareheaded, his cap having fallen off, and
somewhat ruefully rubbing his aching head where it had come
into violent contact with the deck. He looked dazed, and,
upon being questioned by Dyer, admitted that he believed
he had been momentarily stunned by his fall. And all about
him were wet sinuous marks upon the deck which sufficiently
accounted for the furious banging sounds that had been heard,
and which also conclusively demonstrated that the young
captain had experienced an almost miraculous escape from
the violent blows which had rained on the deck all round him.

The first thing done was to set about the restoration of the

206 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

boatswain, and this task was undertaken by Chichester, the
doctor, while Dyer, assisted by two of the men who had come
aft with the lanterns, proceeded to free the senseless body from
the curious serpent like thing that still enwrapped it. And
when this was presently done, not altogether without difficulty
due to muscular contraction, Dyer stood for some moments
thoughtfully and somewhat doubtfully regarding the object
by the light of the lanterns. Then he bent down and began
to handle it, turning it over on the deck and spanning its girth
with his two hands. Finally he straightened himself up and,
with the outer extremity grasped in his hand, turned to George
and observed :

" Now I know wha*. 't is, though I'd never ha' believed it if
I hadn't seen it wi' these here tw T o good eyes o* mine. T is the
arm of a cuttle-fish ; that's what 't is, and nothin' else. Feel to
the skin of un, cap'n, and look to the suckers o* mun. I've see'd
exactly the same sort o' thing caught by the fishermen over
on the French coast about Barfleur and Cherbourg, and I've
heard that the things squids, they calls 'em — actually attacks
the boats sometimes and tries to pull the men out o' them ;
but they was babies infants in arms to this here monster.
I've knowed 'em wi' arms so much as ten or twelve foot long,
but the arm that this belonged to must ha' measured all o'
forty foot, and maybe more. Bring along a couple of they
lanterns, two of you, and let's see if the brute be still along-
side."

The men received the order with visible trepidation, and
were none too ready to execute it ; but at length Dyer, who
was certainly not lacking in courage, snatched a lantern from
one of the men, threw the coils of the main topgallant brace
off the pin, bent the lantern to the end of it, and climbing
into the mizen rigging, lowered it over the side until it hung
close to the surface of the water. But there was nothing to
be seen ; and it was now noticed that the exceedingly offensive
odour which had recently pervaded the ship was no longer

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 207

perceptible, apart from that which emanated from the severed
Tentacle, which was promptly hove overboard. Then the
hands were mustered and the roll called, when it was found
that two of the crew were missing, and there could no longer
be a shadow of doubt that two of the ship's company had
actually been dragged ofi the deck and drowned, if not
devoured by the creature !

But the crew of the Nonsuch were not allowed much time
wherein to dwell upon this amazing tragedy, for scarcely
had the boatswain been restored to his senses and conveyed
below to his hammock to recover from the shock of his terrible
adventure, when a low, weird, moaning sound suddenly became
audible in the air all about the ship, the canvas of the close-
reefed topsails, which had been napping monotonously with
the heave and roll of the ship, shivered and slatted violently
for a moment, and a gust of hot wind from the north-west
swept wailing over the ship and was gone. Then with equal
suddenness a flash of vivid lightning rent the sky low down
in the northern board, and presently, coincidently with the
muttered booming of distant thunder, another blast of hot
wind struck the ship and swept away to the southward in the
wake of the first. Then, almost before the sound of the second
blast had died away in the distance, there again arose those
strange moaning and wailing sounds in the air, seemingly
right overhead, louder and more prolonged this time, and
accompanied by queer shuddering rustlings of the topsails
and momentary scumings of conflicting draughts of air about
the decks. These conflicting draughts finally resolved them-
selves into a series ol fitful gusts from the northward, which
happily lasted long enough to enable her crew to get the
Nonsuch's bows round, pointing to the southward, and then,
with a screaming roar, the gale rushed down upon the ship,
out from due north, and amid the yelling and piping of the
wind, and the angry hiss of maddened waters suddenly scourged
into white, luminous foam, with the spindrift flying over her

208 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

in blinding, drenching showers, the ship gathered way and
fled southward like a frightened thing.

The hurricane — for such it was — blew with appalling violence
for exactly twelve hours, during which the Nonsuch scudded
dead before it under close-reefed topsails, with the canvas
straining and tugging until opinion became divided as to
whether the cloth would part company with the bolt-ropes,
or whether, being new and strong, it would uproot the masts
and drag them bodily out of the ship, especially when the
crest of a sea swept roaring and foaming away ahead of her,
and her way was checked as she settled back into the trough.
Luckily, neither of these things happened, for if the canvas
was new, so too was the good stout hemp rigging, which had,
moreover, been set up afresh fore and aft, aloft and alow,
after the careening of the ship in that snug little Trinidad
creek; consequently, although the masts bent like fishing-rods
and groaned ominously from time to time in their partners,
everything held, and the ship emerged from the unequal
struggle not a penny the worse, although it must be admitted
that her rigging had been stretched to such an extent that when
at length it was relieved of the strain by the cessation of the
gale, it hung loosely in bights that caused the worthy boatswain
to shake his head and mutter to himself.

When at length the gale broke and the wind, veering as it
fell, gradually worked round until it once more became the
trade wind, blowing out from about due east, the ship had
accomplished the record iun of her existence up to that date,
Dyer's reckoning showing that the craft had averaged twelve
knots throughout that mad, desperate race, and that it had
swept them to within three hundred and twenty-five miles of
their destination.

Late in the afternoon of the second day after the cessation
of the gale, land was sighted ahead, and Dyer, having hurried
aloft and carefully studied the features of the coast stretching
athwart the ship's bows, at length announced with great

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 209

satisfaction that Nombre de Dios lay straight ahead. Then
George and he retired to the main cabin, where, in conjunction
with the other responsible officers of the ship, they held a council,
at which it was ultimately determined to take the ship into
a small creek, some twenty miles to the eastward, which Drake
had discovered when in those waters the year previously ;
there make all preparations for a boat attack upon the town
during the night of the following day, capture Nombre, and
then propose, as ransom, the surrender of Hubert St. Leger,
and any other Englishmen that might be in the hands of the
Spaniards. The project was a sufficiently daring one, for
Nombre de Dios had at that time the reputation of being the
Treasure-house of the World, since to it was brought across the
isthmus, from Panama, all the treasure of Peru, for shipment
to Spain, therefore it would almost certainly be well guarded
by soldiers. On the other hand, however, probabilities
favoured the assumption' — which, as we have already seen,
was correct — that the plate ships would by this time have
sailed from Nombre on their homeward voyage, in which case,
since there would be no treasure to guard, the vigilance of
the authorities might be somewhat relaxed, and a surprise
might reasonably be expected to result in success. Also it was
hoped that from the creek which the adventurers proposed
to enter, the party might be able to get into touch with the
terrible tribe of Cimarrones — or Maroons, as the English called
them. This tribe originated in a number of African negroes
who, some eighty years previously, had escaped from their
Spanish masters and taken to the " high woods/' or virgin
forest, where, having taken to themselves wives from among
the neighbouring Indians, they had in process of time grown
into a formidable tribe, having one mission in life, and one
only, namely, to harry the Spanish settlements generally,
and to destroy, with every circumstance of the most refined
and diabolical cruelty, every Spanish man, woman, or child
who might be so unfoitunate as to fall into their hands. Dyer

210 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

kntw s jmething of these terrible blacks, having already met
them in Drake's company ; he knew that the}' were ever to be
found lurking in the immediate vicinity of the half dozen or
so Spanish settlements established on the isthmus, and believed
that it might be possible to obtain valuable information from
them concerning the condition of Nombre, and perhaps even
to secure their assistance in ths contemplated attack upon the
town. But when he suggested this last proposal, George and
the others at once vetoed it from motives of policy and hu-
manity, arguing that if the Cimarrones were permitted to gain
access to the interior of the town, there was no knowing what
barbarous excesses they might indulge in, which would
necessitate the English making common cause with the
Spaniards to protect the latter, and so convert the friendly
feeling of the Cimarrones for the English into deadly enmity,
which was a consummation to be carefully avoided.

The creek which Dyer proposed to enter proved to be so
small, when at length the Nonsuch arrived in it, that, anchored
as nearly as might be in its centre, there was only barely
enough room to allow the vessel to swing clear of the banks
when riding to a very short scope of cable. It was so late when
the adventurers arrived in this miniature harbour that the
fast-fading light showed but little of the surroundings save
the fact that the place was completely land-locked, and was so
hemmed in on all sides by lofty trees of the virgin forest that,
even moored as she was to a single anchor and a short scope
of cable, the ship might ride there safely in practically all
weathers, while the lofty trees effectually screened her pre-
sence both seaward and landward, 'ihe canvas was hastily
furled, and then the crew went below to supper, with the under-
standing that after supper they would be permitted to turn
in and take a long night's rest. But they were warned that,
secluded and cut off as the place appeared to be, it was not
without its dangers, and they must hold themselves prepared
to turn out and fight for their lives at a moment's notice, while

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 211

a strong and alert anchor watch must be maintained all through
the night.

Not that there was much danger of an attack from the
Spaniards, for close as the creek was to the port and town
of N ombre, it was still sufficiently distant to render observation
of the presence of the English ship more than doubtful. No,
it was of the Cimarrones that Dyer was apprehensive, for if
by any chance the presence of the ship in the creek should be
prematurely discovered by these, an attack by them upon
her would be more than likely to follow. For so deadly was
the hatred borne by these savages for the Spaniards that, to
find a few of the latter isolated and apparently at their mercy
was quite sufficient inducement to the former to attack them.
And so ignorant were the Cimarrones that they could scarcely
discriminate between an Englishman and a Spaniard, and were
equally ready to attack either both being white — on the
general principle that it was better that the innocent should
suffer than that the guilty should escape. Yet Drake had
already proved that they bore no hatred to white men, as such,
for he had been in touch with them during the previous year,
and had found them quite disposed to be friendly when once
it had been satisfactorily demonstrated that the English
were not Spaniards and were, like themselves, the
enemies of the Dons. The great thing, of course, was to
get into touch with the savages and to establish friendly
relations with them before they should find and attack the
English.

A sharp look-out was therefore maintained on board the
Nonsuch throughout the hours of darkness, but the night
passed uneventfully, except for the frequent recurrence of
certain mysterious sounds emanating from the woods, which
Dyer privately informed George were produced by monkeys
or a prowling jaguar, and which, innocent enough in themselves,
were yet sufficiently uncommon to keep the watch broad awake
and on the alert ; and at length the dawn of a new day came

212 THE CRUISE OF THE V NONSUCH"

stealing to them over the tree-tops, and, with it, the dissipation
of their apprehensions.

As soon as it was light enough to see, the crew, refreshed
by a whole night's rest, went to breakfast ; immediately after
which they turned to, under the supervision of Basset and the
boatswain, to make every necessary preparation for the boat
attack upon Nombre de Dios, while George and Dj'er, armed
to the teeth, were put ashore and went in quest of the Cim-
arron es.

The young captain caused himself and the pilot to be landed
upon the western extremity of the small sandy beach which,
fringed with coco nut palms, half encircled the creek, and
bidding their small boat's crew push off a spear's cast from the
shore and there hold themselves in readiness to dash in to the
rescue, if necessary, upon hearing the blast of the captain's
whistle, proceeded to walk slowly round the cove, carefully
examining the surface of the sand, as they went, in quest of
footprints to serve as a guide, while Dyer at frequent intervals
raised his hands trumpet-wise to his mouth and gave utterance
to a peculiar, penetrating wailing cry which the pilot asserted
was a call used by the Cimarrones to summon their comrades.

When they had traversed about two-thirds of the length
of the beach certain marks were discovered in the fine, yielding
sand, which, they decided, were prints of naked feet, several
days old, and, carefully following these, they at length dis-
covered a narrow but tolerably well defined footpath leading
from the shore into the heart of the high woods. This they
at once proceeded to follow, George leading the way with his
drawn sword in his right hand and a musket in his left, while
Dyer, close behind him, assiduously repeated his mysterious
call at frequent intervals.

At a distance of but a few yards from the beach the sombre
shadow of the woods was so deep that the explorers at first
found it exceedingly difficult to trace the footpath in the

subdued light, but in the course of a few minutes their eyes

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 213

grew accustomed to the gloom and they were able to perceive
something of their more immediate surroundings. They
found themselves hemmed in on every hand by giant tree
trunks, dimly revealed in the green twilight which penetrated
with difficulty the vast overarching masses of foliage, the space
between the enormous trunks being choked with undergrowth
of a thousand varied forms, conspicuous among which were
immense ferns towering high above their heads, while above
these, and drooping in many cases right down to the ground,
was an inextricable maze and tangle of lianas, or " monkey
rope," intertwined with which were countless festoons of
flowering creepers, the mingled perfumes of which were almost
overpowering in their pungency. Long pliant twigs thickly
studded with needle-sharp thorns constantly protruded across
the path, menacing their faces and tenaciously grappling their
clothing, so that they had to halt at almost every other step
to free themselves ; and frequent quick rustlings among the
long tangled herbage underfoot warned them of the presence
of many hidden creeping things, some at least of which, as
Dyer grimly suggested, were certain to be snakes or some
other kind of venomous creature. The truth of this was very
soon afterward rather unpleasantly demonstrated, for as
George was battling with an exceptionally thick tangle of
thorns which obstructed his way, he suddenly felt beneath his
right foot a thick, cable-like something that yielded and
squirmed beneath his tread, and like a flash there came a
fierce hiss instantly followed by a sharp blow upon his boot.
He at once realized that it was a snake upon which he was
treading, and had enough presence of mind to throw his whole,
weight upon his right foot, thus pinning the reptile firmly to
the ground. The blows upon his boot were repeated some
half a dozen times before he was able to clear away the herbage
about his feet, when he found that he was standing upon the
body of a most ugly and repulsive-looking snake about five
feet long, thick in the body, blunt tailed, of a dark olive ^reen

214 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

colour, variegated with irregular blotches of darker tint, and
having the broad, flat, heart-shaped head that marked it as
a venomous species. It was striking fiercely but rather in-
effectually, because of its constrained position, at his boot,
while its tail part was coiled tightly about his boot leg. A
quick and lucky stroke of his sharp sword-blade whipped off
the cruel head, and then, stooping down, George saw that his
boot had been several times partially punctured by the long
poison fangs. Fortunately for him he had, at Dyer's suggestion,
donned a pair of long sea boots of thick leather which had
become hardened by frequent washings of salt water, and thus
the fangs had failed to penetrate, to which fact he undoubtedly
owed his life.

CHAPTER XIII

How the Englishmen Took Nombre de Dios.

For fully two miles the adventurers pursued their devious
course through the tropical forest, sometimes groping their
way cautiously through the deep green twilight, and anon
almost blinded by a sudden glare of dazzling sunshine, as
they emerged into an open space caused either by fire or a
windfall, and all the time Dyer kept up the curious cry, at
frequent intervals, winch was the call of the Cimarrones.
And all the time, too, they were accompanied by a constantly
increasing company of monkeys of various kinds who, led
no doubt by curiosity, went swinging and springing from
branch to branch beside and above the pathway, exchanging
strange cries which, Dyer averred, were remarks upon the
personal appearance of the strangers, uttered in monkey
language !

Nor were monkeys and snakes the only inmates of the forest,
for they had scarcely progressed a quarter of a mile beyond
the spot where the snake had been encountered when a great
creature like a long-legged cat, but standing over thirty inches
high at the shoulder, suddenly emerged from the tangled under-
wood and halted abruptly, staring at the approaching strangers
for a few seconds before, with an angry snarl, it bounded out
of sight down the path. It was not easy to detect its colour
and markings m that dim light, but its shape stood out clear
and sharply denned against the bnliiant sunlight streaming
down into a windfall just beyond, and Dyer pronounced it to
be a jaguar. Then, a little farther on, they had just sighted

215

216 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

the glint of water between the trees some distance away

on their left front, when a heavy crashing was suddenly heard
among the underbush, and a moment later a creature about
the size of a half-grown calf was glimpsed trotting heavily
towards the water. As in the case of the jaguar, its colour
could not be distinguished, but its shape was very remarkable.
Dyer compared it to a pig with exceptionally thick legs and
a peculiar, elongated snout ; and that was about as near as he
could reasonably be expected to get to it. It subsequently
became known to natural historians as the tapir.

It was about a quarter of an hour afterwards that an answer-
ing cry to Dyer's signal shout was first heard, and some five
minutes later, as the two Englishmen emerged from the gloom
of the forest and entered a natural clearing of about fifteen
acres in extent, they were suddenly confronted by six big,
stalwart blacks, who barred their further progress with threat-
ening spears of most formidable appearance. These men
seemed to be a cross between the African negro and the Indian
of Central America, for they were somewhat lighter of colour
and slighter of build than the negro, while their black hair
hung down to their shoulders in crisp curls. They were naked,
save for a skin apron girt about their loins ; and by way of
ornament they wore necklaces composed of the teeth and claws
of animals and the beaks of birds strung upon thin strips of
hide. They also all wore bits of bone thrust through the lobes
of their ears.

The individual who appeared to be the leader of the party
addressed the two white men in a somewhat thick, throaty
tone of voice, but in language of which the Englishmen were
quite ignorant, the only thing that was at all clear being that
it was a question of some sort that he was propounding.

" Speak you to un, cap'n," said Dyer. " I don't understand
their lingo, but I think most of 'em understands Spanish.
Cap'n Drake could always make hisself understood."

The six blacks gazed intently at Dyer as he spoke, apparently

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 217

striving to gather some conception of the meaning of his
words, and George noticed that at the mention of Drake's
name they all started, while two or three of them murmured
to each other, u Drake — Drake — El Draque ? " quest ioningly.
He at once jumped to the conclusion that Drake's name was
familiar to them, and promptly acted upon the assumption.

a

tt

ii

a

it

a

Yes," he said in Spanish, "we are friends of El Draque.
Do you remember him ? "

Si, senor," answered the leader of the party eagerly, also
in a mongrel kind of Spanish which George was able to com-
prehend without very much difficulty. " Yes, we remember
El Draque, the great white chief and the enemy of our enemy
the Spaniard. Is he here again ?

No/' answered George, " I regret to say that he is not ;
the Great White Queen needed his services, so he could not
come. But I have come in his stead to punish the Spaniards
for their treachery to him last year, and I want some informa-
tion concerning Nombre de Dios. Can you give it me ? You
are Cimarrones, are you not ?

Si, senor, si" answered the black ; (( we are Cimarrones ;
and perhaps our chief may be able to tell you what you wish
to know about Nombre. Will you come to our village ?
It lies yonder."

And, indeed, in the far corner of the clearing George could
now distinguish a small village consisting of about thirty
low huts huddled together in the bordering shadow of the
next belt of high timber. The path from the wood zig-
zagged across the clearing, winding here to avoid an enormous
stump, and there to pass round a fallen tree — for the Cimar-
rones were far too lazy to attempt what they regarded as the
unnecessary labour of clearing away obstacles— but trending
generally toward the conglomeration of huts in the far comer
of the clearing.

The village of Lukabela — so named after its chief — did not
favourably impress George St. Leger, when the little party

218 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

presently reached it. It was the young Englishman's first
introduction to actual savagedom, and the filthy condition
of the huts and their surroundings, the lean and hungry look
of the pack of snarling village dogs which rushed out to meet
them, red-eyed with semi-starvation and ferocity, and with
bared fangs, ferocious as wild beasts and only restrained from
attack by the presence of the native escort, and the over-
powering reek of many mingled forms of dirt and decay
which pervaded the place, were in the last degree repulsive to
the somewhat fastidious young man. But this was only a
first impression, and it quickly yielded to one of admiration
when, as the villagers poured out of their huts to learn the
cause of the unwonted excitement of their dogs, George noted
with appreciative eyes the splendid physique of the men and
women who constituted its inhabitants. They were of mixed
breed, ranging from the robust, full-blooded African negro
to the slimmer and slighter figure of the Central American
Indian with long, straight, black hair and copper- coloured
skin. But these were the extreme types; the majority
were a mixture of the two races, and the mingling of African
and American blood appeared to have had a beneficent
effect upon both, the product being an individual of less bulky
frame perhaps than his negro progenitor, but lithe, active,
supple, and apparently of tireless endurance, superior in
intelligence, courage, and good looks to either of the
extremes.

The appearance of the two white men, escorted by half a
dozen of their own tribe, but apparently not as prisoners,
was productive of tremendous excitement among the villagers,
to whom such an occurrence was almosi unique, for they had
only known it to occur once before ; but the excitement soon
became passive when the leader of the party who had found
George and Dyer explained in a few words that the strangers
were Englishmen and friends of El Draque, and that they
had landed from a big canoe, in which they had crossed the

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 219

Great Water, in order to obtain certain information concerning
the city of Nombre.

The tale was scarcely told when there emerged from a hut
somewhat larger than the others an individual who, in addition
to the apron round his loins, wore a cloak composed entirely
of feathers of the most varied and beautiful colours, worked
into a sort of pattern, and a coronet made of wing and tail
feathers bound about his brows. This was of course Lukabela,
the village chieftain, and as George beheld the man coming
forward attired in all his finery, he more than suspected that
Lukabela had purposely delayed his appearance in order to
gain time for the assumption of those symbols of his
rank.

Lukabela, petty chieftain of the Cimarrones, was certainly
a very fine and imposing figure of a man, as tall as George,
with a body and limbs that might have been modelled by a
Greek sculptor, and a rather small head. His features were
well shaped, his expression keenly intelligent, indomitably
resolute, fearless, and somewhat haughty, and there was a
certain hardness about the chiselling of his mouth that
suggested cruelty. But he listened gravely, yet with a certain
restraint, as George explained to him in Spanish the object
of his and Dyer's inland journey ; and when, in the course of
his explanation, George mentioned that El Draque was a
personal friend of his, Lukabsla's reserve vanished, and he
cordially invited the two Englishmen to enter his hut and
partake of his hospitality. George would fain have declined
that invitation ; but he perceived that the moment was one
when squeamishness must yield to diplomacy; and, bowing
gravely, he accepted the invitation, and the two white men
followed the black into the interior of his hut.

The refreshment offered to the Englishmen was not of a
very inviting character, for it consisted chiefly of raw flesh-
of what particular animal it was difficult to say, but it was,
luckily, supplemented by a quantity of delicious fruit of

220 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

different kinds, with a drink of pungent, and slightly sub-
acid flavour, inviting to the palate and wonderfully refreshing
in effect, so that, after all, George and Dyer were able to do
full justice to their host's hospitality. At the conclusion of
the meal Lukabela produced a bag of deerskin, from which
he extracted some dry leaves of a rich brown colour, out of
which he deftly manufactured three cigarros, and for the
first time in his life George had an opportunity to sample the
delights of the curious herb now called tobacco. Truth to
tell, he did not altogether like the experience ; the smoke
had a tendency to get into his throat and nostrils, choking
him and making him sneeze violently ; but Dyer, who had
sampled the weed on his previous voyage, and liked it, smoked
his cigarros as avidly as Lukabela himself ; and after the
tobacco had been solemnly consumed the chief, who was now
in a very placid humour, confessed himself ready to talk and
eager to afford his white brothers all the information and
help in his power.

It was not help, however, that George wanted just then,
as he explained with all the diplomacy he was able to summon
to his aid ; he informed Lukabela that all he required at that
moment was the fullest information possible relative to the
defences of Nombre de Dios and the strength of its garrison ;
and this the Cimarrone was fortunately able to give, for it
chanced that he had been in the immediate neighbourhood of
the town only a week or two before, and, from a hiding-place
beside the road, had actually beheld some five hundred soldiers
march out en route for Panama, to which place they were
returning after having escorted the last gold-train of the year
across the isthmus and guarded it in Nombre until it had been
shipped and carried safely out to sea. The garrison remaining
to guard the town he estimated at less than two hundred,

inclusive of the artillerymen who manned the shore battery.
Asked what he could tell relalive to this same shore battery,
Lukabela sketched upon the floor of his hut, with the aid of

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH 1 ; 221

a charred stick, a rough plan of the town and harbour, upon
which he indicated the situation of the battery, giving also
the number of guns which it mounted. This completed the
measure of the information which he was in a position to
furnish, but he added that if any further intelligence was
required his English brothers had only to specify it, and he
would see that it was at their disposal within four days.
Time, however, was now of the utmost value to George ;
he was burning with impatience to get into the town and
ascertain, if he might, his brother's fate, and he believed he
had now acquired enough knowledge to enable him to accom-
plish at least the first of those two objects j he therefore rose
to bid the chief farewell, at the same time presenting him with
a necklace of big, vari-coloured beads which Lukabela accepted
with obvious yet dignified delight. Then he called a man to
whom he spoke for a few moments in the peculiar language
of the tribe, afterward explaining to George, in Spanish, that
he had given instructions that they were to be guided back
to the creek by an easier and more direct route than that
by which they had come. He also added that if at any future
time George should need the assistance of the Cimarrones
all that he had to do was to either come or send and ask for it,
and it should be his.

The preparations for the descent upon Nombre were all
completed in good time before sunset, after which the crew
were sent to early supper, and then directed to turn in and
secure a few hours' rest before making the start, and this they
all did with the exception of the dozen who, under the purser,
were to remain and take care of the ship during the absence
of the rest, and these kept watch while the others slept.

The night proved admirably adapted for such an expedition

as the one contemplated ; it was fine, and starlit except when

masses of cloud came driving slowly up before the trade wind

and obscured the heavens for a space ; although even then

the stars in the unclouded portions of the firmament afforded

222 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

a sufficient amount of light to enable the adventurers to see
where they were going, and to distinguish the half dozen
boats that constituted the flotilla. The trade wind in the
offing was blowing a moderate breeze, and there was a young
moon, but it would set early, some two hours indeed before
the moment at which the expedition was timed to start.
George and his officers had fixed upon two o'clock in the
morning as the most suitable time for the attack upon the
town, and it was estimated that the run from the creek to
Nombre, under sail, would occupy about four hours ; but in

order to allow a small margin for unforeseen contingencies
it was arranged that the start should be made at half-past
nine o'clock in the evening ; at nine o'clock, therefore, all
hands were called, and after partaking of a good second supper
which they found awaiting them, they were finally inspected
and ordered down into the boats, which pushed off from the
ship punctually at the moment arranged.

The creek in which the Nonsuch rode concealed was so
completely landlocked that not a breath of air stirred within
it as the boats left the ship's side, the surface of the water
was mirror-like in its absolute placidity, and it was only when
the men began to descend into the boats, rocking them more
or less as they entered them, and so sent a few ripples un-
dulating away across the glassy surface, or when some fish
stirred in the depths below, that the phosphorescence latent
in the black water awakened and sent forth little threads and
evanescent gleams of sea-fire. The complete absence of wind
in the creek rendered it necessary that the men should take
to their oars when getting under way, and then, indeed, as
the blades dipped and rose, the placid surface broke into
swirling patches and streaks of brilliant light that enabled
the ship keepers to watch their comrades' progress, and trace
it until the boats rounded the point and disappeared.

The calm continued until the boats had made an offing
of about a quarter of a mile, when the first faint breathings

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 223

of the land breeze made themselves felt, then the muffled
oars were thankfully laid in, the sails hoisted, and before a
steadily strengthening breeze the boats stood off the land upon
a diagonal course which not only made the land breeze a
fair wind over the larboard quarter, but also carried them
toward Nombre while it swept them out toward where the
trade wind was blowing. The boats sailed in line ahead;
and when, as was soon the case, their relative speeds had been
determined, they were made fast in a string by a stout warp,
with the fastest boat leading and the rest following in the
order of their speed.

It was exactly half-past one o'clock when, after an un-
eventful voyage, having previously hove-to beyond the Point,
lowered their sails, and snugly stored them and the masts
away, the six boats from the Nonsuch entered Nombre de
Dios harbour and, keeping well within the shadow of the land,
crept cautiously along the shore toward the battery, which
was to be their first point of attack. There were several ships
in the harbour, as could be seen by the number of riding lights
dotted about here and there, casting shimmering reflections
upon the surface of the placid water ; but everything was
perfectly quiet, no craft of any description were moving, and
if a watch was anywhere set the watchmen were probably
fast asleep at that hour, since there was no sound or sign
of movement. Yet it struck George as somewhat strange
that an air of such absolute security should seem to pervade
the port ; for things had been said during his visit to San
Juan de Ulua which must have caused the authorities there
to more than suspect the intention ot the Englishmen to
descend upon Nombre ; and there had been time enough for
a fast dispatch boat to make the voyage from the one city
to the other, warning Nombre to be on the alert. As young
St. Leger pondered upon these things he grew suspicious that
he might quite possibly be blundering into some ingeniously
prepared trap, and, calling the boats about him, he gave

224 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH"

instructions for the observance of certain additional pre-
cautions. But, had he but known, he need not have enter-
tained the slightest anxiety or misgiving ; for it afterward
transpired that although, as he had all along suspected, the
authorities at San Juan had actually dispatched a message
to Nombre, recounting in detail all that had happened at the
Mexican port, and warning the authorities at Nombre to be
on the look out for the English, and to adopt every possible
measure to ensure their capture, the vessel bearing the dis-
patch never reached her destination, and it was shrewdly
conjectured that she must have foundered with all hands
in the hurricane which the Nonsuch had encountered.

The great bell of the Cathedral was booming out the hour
of two a.m. as the six boats swerved toward the shore and
advanced in line abreast ; and some six minutes later they
gently grounded upon the beach, the oars were noiselessly
laid in, and each man, grasping his weapons, and stepping
quietly over the side, waded ashore, while those who stepped
over the bows stood ready to push off the boats again, each
with its two boat-keepers, at the low-spoken word of the officer
in command. Every man knew exactly what his duty was
up to the moment of landing, and did it ; and so excellent
were the arrangements that within two minutes of grounding
the boats were again afloat, while those who had come in
them were drawn up in two unequal parties on the beach,
the duty of the smaller party, under Mr. Richard Basset,
being to surprise and capture the shore battery, while the
other, numbering some forty men, under St. Leger's leader-
ship, was to march upon the Grand Plaza and seize it, and the
Governor's house, which was situated therein. But with so
small a force, and the numbers of the enemy unknown, it
was necessary to exercise a very considerable amount of pre-
caution lest some ■unforeseen accident should wreck the entire
enterprise ; therefore, while the force under George stood to
their arms, motionless, close down by the water's edge, Basset

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 225

with his contingent crept warily up the sand toward the shore
battery and presently were swallowed up within its shadows.

Then ensued an anxious five or six minutes of breathless
waiting on the part of George and his company, during which
no sound save the gentle wash of the miniature breakers on
the shore immediately behind them broke the breathless
stillness of the night. Then, from the direction of the battery,
there suddenly came to the ears of the eagerly listening party
the sounds of subdued scuffling, the faint clink of steel, and
a shout which suddenly ended in a choking gurgle. The
sounds were by no means loud ; indeed, so subdued were they
that at double the distance of the listening party from the
battery they would probably not be heard at all. Nor did
they last long ; the whole affair, whether for good or for ill,
was over in less than five minutes. But George knew that
the termination of it was for good, so far as the English were
concerned, for had it been otherwise the subdued sounds of
the scuffle would have risen into shouts of alarm and the firing
of musketry, instead of dying down again into silence, as they
did. And presently a man came running down the beach
from the battery, bearing a message from Basset to George
to the effect that the former had succeeded in taking the
garrison completely by surprise and capturing them and the
battery practically without striking a single blow " and
Mester Basset he du zay, zur, that if you'll give un half an
hour he'll make thicky battery so's he can hold mun again'
all comers."

Now, time was pressing, and it was of the utmost importance
that the Grand .Flaza and its approaches should be secured
before the earliest of the inhabitants of the city should be
stirring ; but it was of at least equal importance that the
battery should be rendered capable of being held against
attack at least until all the contemplated negotiations had
been satisfactorily concluded, since the battery commanded
a good part of the city j therefore, after some consideration,

P

226 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

George sent back a message to the effect that he and his party

would remain where they were for exactly thirty minutes,
during which Basset must do all that he could to render his
position completely tenable, because at the expiration of
that time the advance upon the Grand Plaza would begin.
For half an hour, therefore, the party under the command
of the young captain crouched, silent and motionless, upon
the beach, during the whole of which seemingly endless time
George was quaking with apprehension lest some nocturnal
prowler, a fisherman, or a boat from one of the craft at anchor
in the harbour should appear upon the scene, discover the
presence of the lurking Englishmen, and succeed in raising
an alarm before a capture could be effected. But fortune
seemed to be on their side, for no intruder of any sort appeared,
and when at length the half-hour had expired the word was
given, and with a little sigh of relief from the strain of suspense,
the men rose noiselessly to their feet and moved off in the
wake of Dyer, who, knowing the way, was to act as pilot to
the party.

Nombre de Dios was even then a city of considerable size
and importance : it was, indeed, the most important Spanish
settlement on the Atlantic side of the isthmus, exceeding
Cartagena in the number of its inhabitants, and rivalled only
by Panama on the whole continent. But when that is said
it must not be supposed that it covered a very great extent
of ground ; moreover, the Grand Plaza did not occupy the
exact centre of the city, this point being nearly half a mile
further inland, consequently a march of some twenty-five
minutes sufficed to enable the party to cover the distance
between the beach and their destination. But that march
had to be made through narrow, tortuous, unlighted streets ;
and for some forty armed men, complete strangers to the
place, to accomplish this during the darkest hour of the night
without attracting a certain amount of attention was practic-
ally an impossibility, let their precautions against so doing be

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 227

as elaborate as they might. The wonder was that they did not
attract a great deal more attention than they actually did,
for although the strictest silence was enjoined upon the
members of the party, the tramp of forty men and the un-
avoidable jingle and rattle of their accoutrements sounded
appallingly loud in George's sensitive ear as they passed along
through ways so confined that two vehicles could only have
passed each other with the utmost difficulty, and where the
high walls and overhanging upper stories reflected back
every sound in the breathless stillness of the night. But it
was the hour when people sleep most heavily, and although
there can be little doubt that the sounds of the party's progress
must have disturbed a good many people along the route, so
complete was the sense of security in the city that only very
few troubled themselves to rise from their beds to investigate
the cause of the disturbance. And of those few it is safe
to say that not one really suspected the actual state of affairs
at the moment. Thus it was that the daring intruders actually
succeeded in eventually reaching the Grand Plaza and securing
the command of its every approach without raising a general
alarm.

But of course it was not possible that such a state of affairs
could endure very long, nor indeed was any serious effort
made to prolong it, for, with one party of his men in possession
of the Grand Plaza, and another holding the shore battery,
George felt that for all practical purposes the town was his,
therefore so soon as the Grand Plaza had been secured all
further attempts at secrecy and concealment were abandoned ;
the men moved hither and thither without restraint, and
orders were given in tones which, while not unnecessarily
loud, were still loud enough to awaken people here and there
in the houses facing the square and apprise them that some-
thing quite out of the usual order of things was happening.
Men began to rise from their beds and go to their windows
to investigate, jalousies were thrown back here and there to

za8 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

enable those behind them to obtain a better view, and when,
in the dim light afforded by some half a dozen lamps that
were permitted to burn all night in the Plaza, armed men were
seen to be moving hither and thither, with the feeble light
from the lanterns glancing on their weapons, and with lighted
matches glowing redly in the linstocks, a few of the bolder
inhabitants summoned up courage enough to shout an inquiry
as to what was amiss. And when at length the more per-
sistent ones were told, in good Castilian, that yet had in it the
suspicion of an alien twang, that nothing was amiss, and were
advised to return to their beds and resume their interrupted
slumber, suspicion at last began to awake, and instead of
returning to bed the citizens proceeded to arouse their house-
holds, and to hurriedly dress. Then a few of the more
courageous ones but these were very few — ventured to
sally forth into the square to investigate more closely, only
to find that each approach was guarded by a small band of
sturdy, bushy bearded men clad in foreign-looking garments,
armed to the teeth with most formidable and business-like
weapons, and speaking some uncouth and incomprehensible
tongue, who gently but firmly refused to allow them passage.
At which those citizens returned somewhat precipitately to
their houses and, retiring to their back premises, proceeded
to discuss the matter with their neighbours out of adjacent
windows, or over garden fences, some of them hazarding the
opinion that El Draque had returned and, profiting by his
previous experience, had surprised the city in the dead of
night and secured possession of it. Then, as the opinion spread
and, in process of spreading became announced as a certainty,
lanterns were lit, spades and mattocks were routed out, and
those who had jew T els or money to conceal proceeded to conceal
them with frantic haste by burying them either in secluded
corners of their gardens or beneath the floors of their cellars,
while those who had nothing to conceal busied themselves
in hastening through the city by its back ways and byways,

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 229

knocking up their relatives and acquaintances and frightening
them out of their wits by informing them that a hostile army

had entered the city, the saints knew how, and coming from
the saints knew where, and were encamped in the Grand
Plaza. At which intelligence the city awoke to life with
amazing rapidity, men turned out into the streets and shouted
the news to others, or others shouted it to them, women rushed
out of their houses weeping, dragging their frightened and
screaming children after them, ran aimlessly hither and thither,
still further frightening themselves and others as they did
so, and then rushed back home again, rightly believing that
this was the best and safest place for them ; and at least a
hundred men m the course ol a single hour mounted horses
and galloped at breakneck speed to the barracks to acquaint
the military commandant of the disaster that had befallen
the city, while others again forced their way into the churches
and proceeded to ring the bells frantically. By four o'clock
in the morning every man, woman and child in the city was
broad awake, and the air was vibrant with the discordant clang
of bells furiously rung by unaccustomed hands, pealing out
above and piercing through that indescribable murmur of
sound which tells the hearer that an entire population is
swarming the streets, half frenzied with terror, the whole
punctuated at frequent intervals by the scream of a woman or
child, the shouts of men, and the occasional crack of a musket
shot fired by someone demented with fright and quite irre-
sponsible for his actions.

Meanwhile, having secured possession of the Grand Plaza
and made the best dispositions in his power for its defence,
George, accompanied by a bodyguard of four men, proceeded
to the Governor's house and, arousing its inmates, demanded
an immediate interview with His Excellency Don Sebastian
Salvador Alfonso de Albareda, the individual who just then
chanced to hold the responsible post of Governor of His Most
Catholic Majesty's city of Nombre de Dios on the Spanish Main.

230 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

When first awakened, His Excellency was disposed to be
somewhat explosive upon the subject of so untimely an
invasion of his slumbers ; but when the terrified major domo
of the establishment informed him that the city had been
surprised and taken possession of by a party of ruffianly
English who appeared to have no sense of respect for any
earthly thing, and one of whom claimed to be a friend of,
or in some way connected with, that redoubtable pirate and
most valiant cavalier, El Draque, the Don's wrath suddenly
subsided, for he felt that the matter was indeed of extreme
moment, brooking no delay ; he therefore gave instructions
that the Most Illustrious One who claimed to be the chief
ruffian of the lot should be ushered with all due ceremony
and respect into His Excellency's reception room ; and while
the major domo retired to execute this errand the Governor
hastily assumed the garments that he had laid aside a few
hours earlier, and in a remarkably brief space of time presented
himself before his unwelcome visitor.

Entering the room with stately deliberation, he bowed to
George in his grandest manner, and said, as calmly as though
interviewing English raiders were an everyday occurrence
with him :

it

<t

Good morning, senor ! You have business with me ?
I have, sehor, if in you I have the honour to behold the
Governor of the city of Nombre de Dios," answered George,
with a dignity of manner at least equal to that of the Spaniard.

" Good ! " returned Don Sebastian. " I have the honour to
be the individual you refer to."

" Then, in that case," said George, " I will proceed at
once to explain my business with your Excellency. In the
first place, I have the honour to inform you that your city is
in my hands and at my mercy ; and although my followers
who hold possession of the Grand Plaza are but a few in
number, they are so placed, and are so resolutely determined
to hold their positions, that they can only be displaced at

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 231

the cost of great loss of life to both sides. Also another
party of my followers is in possession of the shore battery,
and their commander has instructions to turn the guns of
the place upon the town and open fire upon it at the first
signs of conflict which may reach lus ears. In order, there-
fore, to save the lives and property of the citizens from needless
destruction, I have first to request that your Excellency will
at once take such steps as may be necessary to prevent all
possibility of an attack upon my people by any soldiers who
may happen to be in garrison here, or by the citizens them-
selves. And when that has been done I shall have the honour
to explain to your Excellency the precise nature of the business
which has brought me to Nombre."

Don Sebastian bowed smilingly, displaying a very fine set
of even, white teeth, of which he was quite pardonably proud.
This, however, was merely a habit, for he was not thinking
of his teeth just then. What he was thinking was that it
was an atrocious misfortune that the city of which he had
the honour to be Governor should have been selected for
attack by these truculent English, who were no doubt bent
upon avenging the reverse of their fellow-countrymen at
San Juan during the previous year. But if this were the
case, why had they not attacked San Juan, instead of coming
to Nombre to make trouble and bring about his ruin ? For
the statement which this great hulking boy captain had just
made to him showed clearly enough that he and his party
could not be driven out of Nombre without desperate fighting,
accompanied by tremendous loss of life and ruinous destruc-
tion of property, if indeed it could be achieved at all, with a
garrison of less than one hundred and fifty men, fifty of
whom constituted the garrison of the shore battery and were
now prisoners, if the young Englishman spoke the truth,
which Don Sebastian did not doubt. No, clearly, fighting
was not to be thought of, excepting possibly as a very last
resource. But he, Don Sebastian, was a man of the world.

232 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

»>

a man of mature experience in the ways of diplomacy, and
surely far more than a match, in this respect, for the simple-
looking lad who stood there staring at him so solemnly. Yes,
diplomacy was undoubtedly the way out of this unfortunate
scrape ; the Englishman must be made to realise that the
capture of Nombre was a stupid mistake, out of which neither
honour nor profit was to be gained ; and once convinced of
this, he would perhaps withdraw himself and his forces peace-
ably. These thoughts flashed through Don Sebastian's brain
while George was still speaking ; and by the time that the
latter had finished, His Excellency had formulated his plans
and was ready to reply. Hence his benignant smile, which
was intended to suggest also a tinge of sarcasm and
incredulity.

" Senor," he said, " I will not be so presumptuous as to
suggest the slightest doubt of your own conviction that the
city of Nombre de Dios is absolutely at your mercy. But you
must pardon me if I decline to share that conviction. I
know the strength and courage of the troops who constitute
our present garrison, and, without for a moment casting the
slightest reflection upon the strength or courage of your own
people, you must permit me to believe that, should we un-
happily be driven to resort to force of arms, we could drive
you and yours into the sea. But I trust," he continued
hastily, in response to a certain gleam in George's eye that
had not escaped his notice, ' we may not be forced to the
adoption of any such extreme measure. For I may as well
inform you at once that if you have come hither with any
thought of pillage, you are too late ; the plate fleet left here
nearly two months ago with the year's accumulations of
treasure, and our treasure-house is at the moment absolutely

empty, as I am prepared to prove to you by taking you to it,
if you doubt my word. And, this being the case, I trust it
wall not be difficult for us to come to some amicable arrange-
ment by which you may be induced to quit Nombre without

JJ

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 233

the resort to measures on either side which could only result
in unnecessary and much to be deplored bloodshed.

"Senor," answered George, with a deep bow — he was
rapidly becoming as punctiliously courteous of manner as
the Spaniards themselves — " I am charmed and delighted
to find you so readily prepared to adopt a reasonable and
friendly attitude in the face of existing circumstances. I
accept unreservedly your statement as to the emptiness of
your treasure house, and will certainly not put you to the
injurious necessity of proving it by conducting me thither
to satisfy myself upon the point ; and I do this the more
readily since my visit to Nombre has no reference whatever
to what you are pleased to term pillage. No ; my object in
coming hither was of a quite different kind ; and if I have
taken possession of Nombre it is merely in order that I might
enjoy the advantage of being in a position to drive a bargain
with the authorities of the town, should I unhappily find
them less amenable to reason than your Excellency seems
disposed to be."

This was excellent, very much better than Don Sebastian
had dared to hope ; these English were not bent upon plunder,
it would appear ; and, that being the case, he cared very
little what else their object might be ; it would be strange
indeed if he, a master of the art of diplomacy, could not
get rid of them without a fight, and so not only avoid a severe
reprimand from the Viceroy, but also perhaps earn his hearty
commendation. Don Sebastian's spirits rose ; the imbroglio
was but a petty thing after all ; and in imagination he already
pictured not only the peaceful but the friendly departure
of the English, and himself receiving the compliments of
the Viceroy upon the tactfulness of his, Don Sebastian's,
management of the affair, which might easily le represented
as being infinitely more serious than it really was. Therefore
he bowed to George more deeply and smiled at him more
expansively than ever as he replied :

234 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

" Senor Englishman, I am gratified beyond all power of

expression to find in you so amicable a disposition, and I feel
certain that whatever may be the occasion of the visit with
which you have honoured us, neither you nor I, nor the
citizens of Nombre, will have the smallest reason to regret
it. But perhaps, senor, it has escaped your memory that
you have not yet enlightened me as to that occasion ? "

"No," answered George; "oh! no, it has not. I shall
come to that presently. But, meanwhile, time is passing,
and I should like you to take those steps I spoke of just now
to prevent a collision between your troops, or the citizens,
and my people. For I warn your Excellency that if fighting
is once permitted to begin it will be exceedingly difficult to
stop it, and before that happens you may find the greater part
of your city in ruins. Therefore I beg that you will not lose
a moment in adopting the measures which I suggest. When
that is done it will be time enough for us to talk together
about the business which has brought me hither."

CHAPTER XIV

How the Governor of Panama Treated Don Sebastian's

Request.

The imminence of the danger indicated by the young English-
man appealed so powerfully to Don Sebastian that he acted
upon the suggestion which accompanied it without further
delay, excusing himself to George for temporarily withdrawing
himself, and assuring the young man that not a moment
should be lost in taking every possible precaution to prevent
a collision between his own countrymen and the English.
But he had not been absent longer than twenty minutes
when he reappeared, in a state of dismay, to explain that the
messengers whom he had dispatched in various directions
were returning, one after another, with the intimation that
they had been turned back by the parties of Englishmen who
were holding the Grand Plaza, who w T ould not permit them
to leave the Square ; also they had brought with them the
news that from the sounds which had met their ears, they
judged the city to be in a state of complete turmoil, and
fighting imminent.

Now, it happened that the first of these two contingencies
had been entirely overlooked by George, who felt a good deal
disturbed also by the thought that fighting might yet begin
despite all his precautions ; he therefore directed Don Sebastian
to collect his messengers, and when this had been done, in
the course of a very few minutes, the young English captain
himself went forth with them to the several points in the
Square at which they sought egress, and personally instructed

235

236 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

the various parties of his men to allow the messengers to
pass. Then, having seen them all safely out of the Square,
noted for himself the signs of disturbance and panic which
seemed to everywhere prevail throughout the city, and issued
certain additional instructions to his own men, George hastened
back to Government House, where he found Don Sebastian
anxiously awaiting his return. He explained to the Don
the state of affairs at that moment existing, so far as he had
been able to ascertain it, expressed the opinion that bloodshed
might yet be averted, and then proceeded to unfold to the
Governor the precise nature of the business that had brought
him and his men to Nombre de Dios ; that business being of
course the liberation of his brother and such other prisoners
as still remained in the hands of the Spaniards.

"I have already had the honour of explaining to yeux
Excellency," he said in conclusion, " that I am not here with
a view to pillage ; I have exacted from San Juan what I re-
gard as fair and just pecuniary compensation for the Viceroy's
treachery to my friends, Hawkins and Drake, while they lay
in the harbour of that city, a year ago ; and, as I have already
pointed out, I have only seized Nombre in order that I may
be in a position to drive a bargain with you.

" Now, I learned from the authorities at San Juan de Ulua
that, of the Englishmen who fell into their hands upon the
occasion just referred to, seventeen of whom my brother
was one were sentenced to the galleys, and shipped on board
a vessel named the San Mathias, bound to this port. Now,
sefior, your city is in my hands, and it is in my power to sack
it, if I will. But I am prepared to hold the city to ransom
upon ridiculously advantageous terms to you ; those terms
being simply that, in return for the surrender of those seven-
teen Englishmen into my hands, safe and sound, I will withdraw
my men, and retire from Nombre, leaving the city itself and
the property of its inhabitants untouched."

Don Sebastian gasped. "Senor," he exclaimed, throwing

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 237

out his hands appealingly, " how shall I say it ? How shall
I make you understand and believe that you have asked
practically the only thing that it is out of my power to
grant ? "

" Why ? What do you mean ? " demanded George, in his
turn. " Out of your power to grant ? I do not understand
your Excellency. Do you mean to tell me that those seventeen
men are dead ? That your accursed Inquisition has claimed
them ? Or — what do you mean ? "

" I mean, illustrious senor, that not one of those men now
remains in Nombre. They doubtless came here, since the
authorities of San Juan say so, but stay now let me think —
yes — if those men ever arrived here there will doubtless be a
record of their arrival, and yes, I seem to recall some of the
circumstances, but the multiplicity of my duties as Governor

of the city renders it difficult to . With your permission,

senor, I will summon my secretary ; he will doubtless be
able to throw some light upon the affair."

" Pray do so at once, senor," answered George. " It was
solely to gain intelligence of the whereabouts of those men
and to secure their release that 1 came to Nombre ; and if
you cannot at least afford me some assistance, I am afraid
that it will be a bad thing for your city."

"But, noble senor," remonstrated Don Sebastian, "you
will surely not hold Nombre responsible "

"For the disappearance of those men?" interrupted
George. "Indeed I will, then, your Excellency, unless you
can afford me satisfactory evidence as to what has become
of them."

" Permit me, senor," said Don Sebastian, and smartly struck
a small hand bell on the table. An attendant almost instantly
appeared, to whom the Governor said peremptorily :

" Find Senor Montalvo, and say that I desire his immediate
presence in this room."

Some five minutes later a smart, dapper-looking young

238 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

II

Spaniard entered and, bowing low, requested to know his
Excellency's pleasure.

" Senor Montalvo," said Don Sebastian, " about a year ago

a ship named the " he hesitated and looked inquiringly at

George,

"The San Mathias," prompted George.

" Exactly, the San Mathias/' continued the Governor, "is
said to have arrived here from San Juan de Ulua, bringing
from thence seventeen Englishmen, prisoners, who were
sentenced to the galleys "

"Yes, your Excellency," interrupted the secretary. "I
perfectly remember the circumstances, for it occurred while
you were temporarily laid up with fever, and I transacted the
whole of the business connected with it."

"Ah!" exclaimed his Excellency, with an air of relief.
"Then that sufficiently accounts for my very imperfect
recollection of the affair" — with a glance at George to direct
the latter's attention to the explanation. "Proceed, Senor
Montalvo," continued the Governor; "tell us all that you
know concerning the matter."

" Certainly, your Excellency," answered the secretary.
"With your Excellency's permission I will fetch the official
records, containing the full and complete account of the
affair." And, bowing deeply to Don Sebastian and George,
he hurried away, and presently returned with an exceedingly
bulky volume under his arm. This he placed on the table,
opened it, referred to an index, and then turned up the required
entry.

" Yes," he said, " here we have it : ' December 7th, 1568.
Arrived from San Juan de Ulua, the ship San Mathias, Juan
Pacheco, master, having on board seventeen Englishmen
captured during an unprovoked attack upon the plate fleet
lying in San Juan harbour, and

"That is a lie," broke in George. "The English ships
were the attacked, not the attackers. But — go on."

> >>

Ct f

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 239

Harbour/ ; ' resumed the secretary, reading, " ' and
sentenced by the Military Commandant to the galleys for
life. Their names are as follows

j >}

"Stop," interrupted George again, and, fumbling in his
pocket, he produced a document — the one that Don Manuel
Rebiera had burnished him with upon the first day of the
Nonsuch's visit to San Juan and carefully unfolded it.

''Now, proceed with your reading, senor, if you please/'
he said to the secretary.

The secretary read out the names of the seventeen English
prisoners, which George found to agree with those recorded
in his list. When the secretary came to the last name he
paused for a moment.

" Yes/' assented George, " those names appear to be correct.
Now, the first thing that I wish to know is — what became of
those men ? "

"They were confined in the prison here for the space of
just one month/' answered the secretary, "during which
communication was made to the Governor of Panama, stating
the circumstances of the case, and requesting to know whether
he could apportion the prisoners among the galleys stationed
at his port, as there are no galleys attached to Nombre. The
reply was in the affirmative, and on January 8th of this
present year the prisoners were dispatched to Panama in
charge of the escort which had just brought over a consign-
ment of treasure. The officer in command of the escort gave
his receipt for the persons of the prisoners, and — that is all
that we here in Nombre know about them."
That was all that they there in Nombre knew about them !

And it was to obtain this trifling scrap of information that the

English adventurers had resorted to such extreme and high-
handed action as actually to capture one of the most important
cities on the Spanish Main, and were now holding possession
of it by the skin of their teeth, in the face of overwhelming
numbers, by sheer downright audacity and arrogance of

240 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

demeanour ! Young St. Leger smiled inwardly as the amazing
character of the anti-climax began to force itself upon his
notice ; and, being a lad with a keen appreciation of humour,
it was with difficulty that he conquered an almost irresistible
inclination to laugh aloud while he reflected upon the situation.
By an effort of will, however, he conquered the desire to
indulge in untimely mirth for he iully realised that he and
his followers were standing upon the crumbling brink of a
volcano, and said, with an air of great dissatisfaction and
annoyance :

" That is all you can tell me about them ! But, senor, this
is really most unsatisfactory. For all practical purposes I
am no wiser than I was when I left St. Juan. This informa-
tion will not materially assist me to find and procure the
release of my unfortunate fellow-countrymen. I am afraid
I must ask you to offer me a suggestion. You must remember
that I am here to avenge and obtain satisfaction for the
treacherous treatment of my countrymen last year, by your
King's representative, the Viceroy of Mexico ; and, whatever
hardship, or suffering, or loss his Most Catholic Majesty's
lieges in this country may be called upon to endure at my
hands, in my determination to obtain satisfaction for that
outrage, they must lay to the door of his Excellency Don
Martin Enriquez. Therefore, for your own sakes, I look to
you to assist me in every possible way. I have explained to
you the nature of my business here, which, I repeat, is to
procure the immediate release of those seventeen unfortunate
Englishmen, unjustly doomed to life-long servitude in your
galleys. How is it to be done ? 1 look to you for suggestions."

Don Sebastian shrugged his shoulders, and stared helplessly
at his secretary ; and the latter, recognising the nature of the
appeal conveyed by his chiefs eyes, folded his arms, sank
his chin upon his chest, and proceeded to stalk meditatively
to and fro the length of the room. His meditations continued
ior close upon ten minutes, then, as George began to manifest

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 241

symptoms of growing impatience, Senor Montalvo flung up
his head with the triumphant air of one who has solved a
difficult problem, and said :

*' It appears to me, Excellency, and most noble Adelantado,
that the only thing to be done is tor your .Excellency to address
a letter to the Governor of Panama, explaining the situation,
and requesting his help to determine the present whereabouts
of the prisoners, entrust that letter to a reliable and intelligent
messenger, who fully understands all the circumstances of
the case, and let him confer with his Excellency Don Silvio
as to the steps necessary to secure the satisfaction of the
English sefior's demands."

The Governor considered the matter for a few seconds, and
then turned to George.

" There is a suggestion for you, senor, and a very excellent
one, I think I may permit myself to say. How does it com-
mend itself to you ? "

f< How far is it from here to Panama, and how long will it
take your messenger to traverse the distance ? " demanded
George.

" By the Gold Road the distance is a trifle over forty miles,
and a well mounted messenger can cover it in six hours,"
answered Don Sebastian.

" So that if he were dispatched at once he could execute
his mission, and be back here in N ombre to-morrow evening ? "
suggested George.

(( Madre de Diosf Is the man mad?" ejaculated Don
Sebastian, throwing up his hands. Then he turned hastily
to George. " Ten thousand pardons for my involuntary
exclamation," he apologised ; " but I fear you scarcely realise
what travelling in this country means. Upon his arrival in
Panama, my messenger would imperatively need rest, and by
the time that he has refreshed himself it will be too late to
see the Governor. Then, to morrow, it may be nearly or
quite mid-day before he can obtain audience of his Excellency ;

Q

tsp THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

and by the time that the conference is over and my messenger
has secured the required information, it will be altogether
too late for him to start upon the return journey. Thus I
do not think we can possibly expect him back before the
afternoon of the day after to-morrow. You agree with me,
senor, I am sure."

"No, senor, I do not/' retorted George. "I can see no
cause at all for such delay. Upon his arrival in Panama, let
your messenger proceed at once to the Governor's house and
demand an immediate interview. Let him explain that the
matter is in the last degree urgent and pressing, and let him
take whatever further steps may be necessary to secure
prompt attention. And then let him transact his business.
There will be plenty of time for him to rest and refresh himself
when that is done. And to-morrow, if everything has been
satisfactorily arranged, he can start at dawn, and be here
again shortly after mid-day."

" Carramba I With all submission, senor, what you propose
is impossible. No man could possibly do it," exclaimed Don
Sebastian, throwing up his hands.

" But why not, man, why not ? " persisted George.

11 Why not ? " reiterated the Governor. " Because, senor,
it would kill him, in this climate."

" It would certainly not kill an Englishman ; but, of
course, I don't know about a Spaniard," retorted George.

Senor Montalvo hastened to intervene. " Pardon, Excel-
lency," he remarked, bowing to the Governor, " but since the
matter appears to be of such extreme urgency, permit me to
undertake the mission to the Governor of Panama. Having
been privileged to be present at this interview with the English
Adelantado, I think I may venture to say that I clearly
understand the several points in the rather delicate negotiation
which it is proposed to open with his Excellency Don Calderon,
and can probably conduct it as successfully as any other
available person. And I shall also do my utmost to execute

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 243

my task with all possible diligence, ignoring fatigue for
the time being and until my task has been accom-
plished."

" Very well/' replied Don Sebastian, with evident relief.
"I am greatly obliged to you, Sefior Montalvo, for your
offer, which I accept. And now, while I prepare my com-
munication to Don Silvio, you had better go and make ready
for your journey. The whole of my stable is entirely at
your service, but if you will permit me to advise, I think
you could not possibly do better than take Josef a, the black
mule. She will carry you easily and rapidly as far as Venta
Cruz, where you will leave her, and proceed for the remaining
half of the journey upon another animal, picking up Josef a
again upon your return. Now, be off with you, and get
ready ; and by the time that your preparations are complete,
my letter to Don Silvio shall be ready."

"Now, sefior," he continued, seating himself at a table
and drawing writing materials toward him as soon as the
secretary had vanished, " what am I to say to Don Silvio ?
Kindly state your full requirements, and I will see what can
be done toward satisfying them."

George pulled out his list of prisoners, and laid it beside
Don Sebastian on the table.

"My requirements," he said, "are very simple. All that
I ask is the immediate release and delivery to me of the
seventeen Englishmen whose names are inscribed on that
document."

" The immediate release ? " reiterated his Excellency.
" But, sefior, with all submission, to demand that may well
be to demand the impossible. If I may be permitted to express
an opinion, I should say that there is scarcely the remotest
probability that any of the men here enumerated are still
within the jurisdiction of the Governor of Panama. I have
not a doubt that every one of them has, long ere this, been
apportioned out among the various galleys belonging to the

244 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

port, and in ail likelihood every man is at this moment some-
where at sea. The utmost that Don Silvio will probably be
able to do will be to indicate the name of the galley to which
each man has been condemned, and perhaps to state, in a
few cases, the present approximate locality oi the galleys."

" You think so ? " returned George, an ominous frown
gathering upon his brow. " Then, all I can say, Don Sebastian,
is that if the Governor of Panama can do no more than that,
it will be disastrously unfortunate for you and your city ! "

Don Sebastian became visibly paler as he stirred uneasily
in his chair, regarding the young Englishman questioningly
and in silence for a few moments. Then he said :

" Seiior, pardon me if I say that I scarcely understand you.
You surely cannot mean that you will hold this town respon-
sible for your inability to obtain possession of the men you

seek ? "

" You are mistaken, senor, if you imagine any such thing,"

retorted George. " I hold every Spaniard on the continent

responsible for the safety and well-being of those men. It

was by Spanish treachery that they are at this moment

living in hell upon earth — for 1 know something of what life

as a galley slave means — and I am going to employ every

possible means at my disposal to bring pressure upon you

and your fellow countrymen to right the wrong that has been

done. Therefore, I beg that, in communicating with the

Governor of Panama, you will make it clear to him that,

to save Nombre from sack and destruction, he must exhaust

his utmost powers to secure the speedy release of those men."

"But, senor " began Don Sebastian, remonstratingly.

" Not another word, senor," interrupted George, deter-
minedly. " What I have said, I have said. Tell Don Silvio
that I hold the shore battery, and that, therefore, Nombre
de Dios is absolutely at my mercy. Tell him also that I am
holding vou, among others, as a hostage to secure ourselves
from interference or attack by soldiery or civilians, and, in

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH » 245

short, make it clear to him that if those men are not speedily
surrendered to me, the Spaniards will have to pay dearly for
them in blood and treasure. Now, please proceed with the
preparation of your communication to Don Silvio, for time
is flying."

Whereupon, Don Sebastian, clutching his locks with his
left hand look pen in his right, and proceeded, with a great
deal of difficulty, to draft a letter setting forth in cold black
and white the critical state of affairs then existing in Nombre,
and urgently entreating the Governor of Panama to leave no
stone unturned to find and surrender the seventeen English-
men, on account of whom all this fuss and pother was being
made, lest worse come of it. The Don was not a particularly
fluent correspondent, but he grew almost eloquent when he
strove to impress upon his fellow governor the inexorable
determination displayed by the young English captain, and
he wound up by quoting two or three Spanish proverbs to
the effect that of two evils it was always best to choose the
lesser, and that it was folly to cut off one's nose to spite one's
face, these being intended to support Don Sebastian's con-
tention that it would be better to surrender the Englishmen
and forego one's righteous desire to revenge oneself upon
them, rather than that a Spanish town like Nombre de Dios
should be subjected to the horrors of sack and pillage. The
fair copy of the letter, after the draft had been submitted for
George's approval, was still in process of being written when
Senor Montalvo, booted and spurred, and otherwise dressed
for the road, made his appearance. The letter, however,
was finished at last, signed, sealed with the official seal, and
handed to the secretary, who, a minute later, mounted upon
Josefa, the black mule, went clattering out of the Grand
Plaza, en route for Panama.

" Now," said St. Leger, when the important business of
the letter to the Governor of Panama had been satisfactorily
disposed of, " with your Excellency's approval we will all

246 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

if

retire to the shore battery, where I propose to concentrate
my forces until a reply arrives from his Excellency of Panama.
I noted, when leaving, that the guns of the battery effectually
command the town, therefore, by holding the battery I shall
hold the town also ; moreover, by withdrawing my men to
it, there will be the less likelihood of collisions between my
people and your countrymen. I must trouble your Excellency
to accompany me, and to put up, for a few days, with some-
what rougher quarters than you are accustomed to ; but we
will make things as comfortable as we can for you, and you
may take with you any three of your servants whom you
would wish to accompany you. If you will kindly issue any
orders that you may wish to give, we will go at once."

It was in vain that Don Sebastian begged to be excused
from accompanying his captors to the battery, in vain that he
alternately protested, represented, promised, and almost
threatened j George turned a deaf ear to everything that the
poor man found to say ; and half an hour later saw the whole
party which had held the Grand Plaza marching in good
order through the streets toward the battery, with the Governor
and his three servants, the latter bearing heavy loads of his
Excellency's baggage, in the centre of the solid phalanx.
By that time the townspeople had recovered from their first
panic, and had almost settled down again into their normal
condition, the shops were nearly all open, excitement was
rapidly subsiding, and the citizens were mostly going about
their business pretty much as usual ; the English, therefore,
experienced no inconvenience or interruption during their
march, and in due time reached the battery, the gates of

which were thrown open to receive them, and closed and
bolted again after they had all entered.

The first thing was for the newcomers to get breakfast,
for which they were all — with, perhaps, the exception of the
Governor — by this time quite ready. Then, at the conclusion
of the meal, George accompanied Basset round the battery

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 247

upon a tour of inspection, during which the latter pointed
out what he had done, and was still doing, to strengthen the
defences of the place ; and the young captain was greatly
gratified to see that a few hours' more work would render
the place practically impregnable to assault, and that all
that they then need fear was a protracted siege, which, how-
ever, did not enter into the Englishmen's calculations.

The entire party from the Nonstick were now housed in
the battery, for Basset had no sooner secured possession of
the place than, very wisely, he hailed the men who had been
left in the boats to take care of them, directing them to beach
their craft under the battery walls, moor them securely,
remove all gear, and convey it and themselves into the battery
forthwith, which they did, this arrangement rendering both
them and their boats absolutely secure from interference.

By mid-afternoon Basset's plans had all been carried out,
and the battery placed in a thorough state for effective defence ;
and now all that remained was to await with patience the
return of Seflor Montalvo from Panama with the results of
his mission. George had estimated that with due diligence
on the part of the secretary, it should be possible for him
to execute his mission in time to be back in Nombre by the
afternoon of the following day ; but Don Sebastian was not
so sanguine ; he knew the Spanish propensity to procrastinate,
and he also knew that Don Silvio Calderon, the Governor of
Panama, was not the man to permit himself to be hurried,
particularly in the interests of other people ; also he knew,
a great deal better than George, how many difficulties stood
in the way of securing the speedy release of prisoners from
the galleys, even under the most favourable circumstances.
He therefore did all that he could, by representation, to
prepare his captors for a certain amount of delay; cons&*
quently when the next day passed without bringing any sign
of the secretary's return, nobody was very greatly surprised
or disappointed.

248 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

it

But it was not until four full days had passed, and the
afternoon of the fifth was well advanced, that Sefior Montalvo,
hot, dusty, travel-stained, and weary, re-appeared ; and when
Don Sebastian had twice perused the letter of which the
secretary was the bearer, it was perfectly evident, from the
expression of dismay upon his Excellency's countenance, and
his muttered ejaculations of "Fool! thrice-sodden fool!—
pig! obstinate mule!" and other uncomplimentary ex-
pressions, that the secretary's mission had not been brilliantly
successful. On the contrary, it soon developed that the
errand had proved an utter failure, for after an hour's earnest
and anxious converse and discussion with Sefior Montalvo,
Don Sebastian approached George, and, with every evidence
of the utmost distress, handed him the reply of the Governor
of Panama to read.

The letter was brief and to the point. It opened with a
pithy but pungent expression of Don Silvio's opinion of the
capacity of a Governor who could permit his city to be captured
and held by a handful of English pirates ; then proceeded suc-
cinctly to refuse to accede to any of those pirates' demands ;
and wound up by saying that if the garrison and citizens of
Nombre were such fools as to allow themselves to be surprised,
they must take the consequences, whatever they might be.
But, Don Silvio concluded by saying, if the city of Nombre
were sacked by the English, the citizens might console them-
selves with the assurance that they would be amply avenged,
for he (Don Silvio) was dispatching every soldier in Panama
to the assistance of Nombre, and if, upon their arrival, any
English were found in the ciiy, they would be exterminated
with the utmost promptitude !

Like Don Sebastian, George read this precious effusion of
a pompous, consequential, pig headed official twice before
commenting upon it. Then he turned to the secretary and

said :

" Sefior, are you cognisant of the contents of this letter ? "

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 249

"I believe so, in a general way, Illustrissimo," answered
Sefior Montalvo. " Of course/' he continued, " I have not
read the communication itself, but I was able to pretty well
gather from Don Silvio's remarks when I explained my mission
to him what was the nature of the reply he intended to make
to Don Sebastian's request."

" Describe Don Silvio to me," demanded George.

" He is a man somewhat above medium height," replied
the secretary, " of rather striking appearance, dark com-
plexioned, sallow, hasty and irascible of temper, has a very
exalted opinion of his position and dignity, is very impatient
of anything in the most remote degree approaching to dictation,
and has a profound belief in his own 3udgment, and in his
qualifications generally for the post which he occupies. He
is of opinion, for example, that had he been Governor of
Nombre, you and your followers would never have succeeded
in establishing yourselves in the city."

" I see," said George. " Yes, I think from your description
I can form a tolerably accurate picture of the man. Is he a
man of his word ? "

" As how, precisely, Sefior Captain ? " demanded the
secretary.

" Well," explained George, " in this letter he announces
his intention to dispatch every soldier at his disposal in Panama
to the relief of this city. Do you think he will really do
so?"

" Undoubtedly, sefior," was the answer. " I was present
when Don Silvio issued the order, and when I left Panama
the soldiers were already mustering for the march."

" And how many soldiers do you suppose are available for
this service ? " demanded George.

" Five hundred cavalry, and twelve hundred foot soldiers,
with six batteries of horse artillery," was the startling reply.

It was a reply for which young St. Leger was wholly un-
prepared ; it startled him, while at the same time it inspired

250 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

him with a most audacious idea. He carefully controlled

his features, however, quite conscious of the fact that both
Don Sebastian and his secretary were intently watching him,
and proceeded with his questioning in the same level, quiet
tones as before.

" And when do you think we may look for the arrival of
those soldiers ? " he asked.

" The cavalry may arrive at any moment/ 1 answered Sefior
Montalvo, " while as for the artillery and the foot soldiers,
they should be here by to-morrow's noon."

" Ah ! I thank you, sehor, for the frankness with which
you have replied to my questions/' said George. " This news
is important and unexpected ; I must ask you to excuse me,
gentlemen, while I retire to confer with my officers. What
you, Sehor Montalvo, have told me may possibly aecessitate
an alteration of my plans." And, so saying, the young
Englishman bowed to the two Spaniards and left them, going
out to find Basset and Dyer, that he might communicate to
them the momentous news as to the dispatch of the soldiers
from Panama, and also to broach to them the audacious
project that had just suggested itself to him.

The three Englishmen conversed together earnestly and
eagerly for the best part of an hour, while they paced to and
fro upon the parapet of the battery, well out of earshot of
anybody else ; and at length they came to a certain decision
which they at once proceeded to put into effect, George going
off to rejoin the Governor and his secretary, while Basset and
Dyer hastened to muster their respective forces, and put into
effect the preliminaries of the plan which they had pgi^d upon.

When at length St. Leger rejoined Don Sebastian and
Sehor Montalvo, he found his guests — or prisoners, they
scarcely knew which to consider themselves — awaiting his
return in a state of anxiety and perturbation, which they took
no pains to conceal. Prominent in their minds was George's
threat to sack and burn the city in such an eventuality as

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 25X

had just arisen, and they had already seen enough of the
young man to convince them that he was quite capable of
carrying out his threat. There was but one hope for them,
they felt, and that lay in the suggestion artfully put forth by
Sehor Montalvo, that the cavalry might be expected to arrive
at any moment. This statement was the result of a sudden
and brilliant inspiration which had come to the secretary
while George was questioning him. As a matter of fact,
Senor Montalvo felt tolerably certain that the cavalry could
not possibly arrive until the morrow, but it had suddenly
occurred to him that if he stated this, it would show the
English that there was still time for them to sack the town,
while by stating that a considerable body of troops might be
momentarily expected to arrive he hoped to frighten the
insolent strangers into immediate abandonment of the town,
without waiting to sack it.

And he had every reason to congratulate himself that his
ruse had been successful, for George's first words when he
returned to the room occupied by the two Spaniards
were:

" Your Excellency, the news which SeMor Montalvo has
brought from Panama has caused me to very materially
modify my plans. When you were preparing your dispatch
to his Excellency the Governor of Panama, I gave you to
understand that in the event of Don Silvio's refusal to enter-
tain my proposals, I would sack and destroy the city of Nombre
de Dios. But since then I have had time for reflection ; I
have come to recognise that it would be unfair of me to visit
Don Silvio's obstinacy too severely upon you and your town ;
moreover, I am in hopes that by further correspondence with
him he may be brought to see the desirability of saving you
and Nombre by a merely nominal sacrifice on his part ; there-
fore, after consultation with my officers, I have decided to
spare Nombre for the present, and to withdraw from it in
order to afford you time for further negotiations with Don

252 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

Silvio. But before withdrawing I intend to take the pre-
caution of destroying this battery, so that upon my return
I shall, at least, not have it to contend with. And, understand
me, your Excellency, I shall return again, but not until the
soldiers now expected have been withdrawn from the town.
That must certainly happen soon, and when it does you may
expect to see me back, for I shall find means to learn every-
thing of importance that happens in Nombre. And when I
next come, my visit will be a final one ; for unless you are
then prepared to hand me over the seventeen prisoners I
have asked for, I will not leave one stone of Nombre upon
another. You will kindly remain here until I am ready to
evacuate the battery, when you will be free to return to
Government House."

CHAPTER XV

How the Englishmen Marched Across the Isthmus to

Panama.

As St. Leger quitted the room Senor Montalvo gave vent to
a chuckle of delighted self-gratulation, much to the surprise,
and somewhat to the annoyance, of his Excellency, Don
Sebastian Salvador Alfonso de Albareda, Governor of the city
of Nombre de Dios.

"Senor Montalvo/* he said austerely, "you are surely
forgetting yourself. I see nothing at all in that truculent
young Englishman's threat that is in the least degree calcu-
lated to excite the risibility of anyone whose misfortune it is
to be a dweller in this god-forsaken city of Nombre de Dios.
Not even its name seems to protect it in the slightest degree
from the sacrilegious violence of these Lutheran dogs. Pray
explain yourself, senor."

"Ten thousand pardons, your Excellency/' exclaimed
Montalvo, still grinning delightedly. "It was not so much
the Englishman's threats at which I was amused — although I
think we may perhaps permit ourselves to smile at them, too ;
what I was chiefly amused at was the stroke of genius by
which I have fortunately been able to save our city from
sack by those pestilent English to-day."

"You — you have saved Nombre from being sacked to-day?"
exclaimed Don Sebastian. " Still I fail to understand you,

senor."

"Did you not observe, your Excellency, that, in reply to
a question by the young English pirate, I mentioned that the

2 53

254 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

cavalry from Panama might be expected to appear here at
any moment ? That was a little slip of the tongue on my
part, the result of a happy inspiration. Had I replied truth-
fully I should have said that the cavalry could hardly by any
possibility arrive until some time to-morrow ; and the result
of that reply would in all probability have been an instant
order by that young English dog to sack the city, which work
might easily be accomplished before the appearance of the
cavalry upon the scene. But did you mark the expression
of Sefior Englishman's face when I said that the cavalry
might be expected at any moment ? It was terror, your
Excellency — terror and consternation ! And the result is an
order for the instant evacuation of this battery and the
retreat of the English from the town. That youngster at
once recognised that if the cavalry were close at hand there
would be no time to sack the town : he and his people would
be caught and exterminated to a man. Hence his mag-
nanimous resolve to spare us for the time being. Now does
your Excellency understand ? ,J

" Ah ! yes ; of course I do, and I beg your pardon for my
hasty rebuke, Montalvo," exclaimed Don Sebastian, seizing his
companion's hand and shaking it heartily. " Caramba ! that
was a brilliant idea of yours about the cavalry, and it has had
the effect that you foresaw ; the rascally Englishmen are
much too anxious regarding the safety of their own skins to
think of plundering the town now ; and, please the Virgin, in
a few hours we shall be well rid of them, and I shall have
escaped getting into very serious trouble — thanks to you,
Montalvo. You have placed me under a very heavy obliga-
gation, my friend, and I shall not forget it.

" But there is still the future to be thought of. It is true

that we have escaped by the skin of our teeth for the moment,
Montalvo ; for the moment only. But if I am any judge of
character, that English muchacho will return, as he threatened
he would j and then what are we going to do ? "

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 255

"Sufficient tinto the day is the evil, your Excellency,"
answered Montalvo, " and we shall have time enough to think
of that when these dogs have gone. Did you notice what the
boy captain said ? He will return again, but not until the
soldiers now expected have been withdrawn from the town.
Well, it must be your care, Excellency, that the soldiers shall
not be withdrawn from Nombre until the patience of these
English pirates has become thoroughly exhausted, and they
have taken themselves off elsewhere — precisely where they go
is a matter that need not concern us so long as it is sufficiently
far from Nombre. And while we are enjoying the protection
of the soldiers it must be our business to so strengthen the
defences of the town that — Madre de Dios ! what is happening
now ? "

The worthy secretary might well exclaim, for his illuminating
discourse was at this moment broken in upon and interrupted
by a series of deafening explosions of so violent a character
that they set the very walls of the building trembling. They
were caused by the bursting of the cannon mounted in the
battery, and the blowing-up of the defences which Basset had
devised and caused to be constructed with so much labour,
and the destruction of which St. Leger had ordered as a
preliminary to his abandonment of the place. The Governor
and his secretary had scarcely recovered from the consterna-
tion engendered by those alarming explosions when George
appeared with the information that they were now free to
leave the battery and return to Government House whenever
they pleased ; and the two Spaniards were still painfully
scrambling through and over the debris of the destroyed
defences, on their way back to the town, when they saw the
Englishmen jump into their boats and push off fretn the
beach.

It was long after sundown on that same day when the
anxious watchers on board the Nonsuch, anchored in that tiny

256 THE CRUISE OF THE '* NONSUCH

l»

unsuspected harbour, heard the roll and splash of oars sounding
from the seaward of them, and were soon afterward greeted
with a hail which told them that their comrades, as to whose
safety they were beginning to feel somewhat anxious, were
returning ; and a few minutes later the boats were alongside
and a general reunion had taken place.

It was too late to do anything further that night, apart from
the fact that the returned ones were pretty thoroughly tired
out by the time that they had shaken down and had their
supper ; but on the following morning George, Dyer and a
guard of two men were landed upon the beach and forthwith
proceeded to make the best of their way to the Cimarrone
village ruled over by the chief named Lukabela.

As it chanced, the chief was " at home" when they reached
the village, and he accorded his visitors a very cordial welcome.
He was highly amused and delighted when he learned that
the English had held the city of Nombre at their mercy for
five days, but looked both puzzled and disgusted when he
learned that they had left the place as they found it, without
sacking the city, exacting a ransom, or making the Spaniards
sutler in any way ; for the Qmarrones hated the Spaniards
with a hatred that was perfectly fiendish, and woe betide any
Spaniard or body of Spaniards whose evil fortune it was to
fall into their hands. Death was the least of the evils that
any man, woman or child of Spanish blood had to fear at the
hands of the ferocious Cimarrones. But he brightened up
again when he learned that the young English captain had
hatched a particularly audacious scheme, in the execution of
which he besought Lukabela' s assistance.

*' In anything partaking of the nature of an attack upon
the Spaniards, Sefior Englishman, you have only to command
me, and you may rest assured of the whole - hearted
assistance of myself and every man of my tribe," he assured
George.

The latter bowed " Well" he explained, " the matter

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 257

stands thus : A year ago, as you may have heard, certain of
my countrymen, among whom was your friend El Draque,
were treacherously attacked in the harbour of San Juan de
Ulua, and several of them were killed or wounded, while a
number of others among whom was my elder brother — were
taken prisoners. Of these last, all have been accounted for
in one way or another save seventeen who, I learn, were sent
from San Juan to Nombre, and from Nombre to Panama,
where I am given to understand they were put aboard the
galleys, to end their lives toiling at the oars.

" Now, I and my companions have crossed the Great Water
for the express purpose of finding and rescuing my brother —
and incidentally his English fellow prisoners — from the
Spaniards ; and, accordingly, we first went to San Juan,
where I learned that the seventeen survivors of the attack
had been sent to Nombre. Therefore from San Juan we came
to Nombre, where I learn that the seventeen were sent to
Panama. At my request the Governor of Nombre sent a
message to the Governor of Panama, informing the latter
that Nombre was in my possession, and that I required the
surrender of the seventeen English prisoners as ransom for
the town. But the Governor of Panama, instead of finding
and returning the Englishmen, has dispatched every soldier
from Panama to Nombre, to drive us out of the city. Learning
this, and knowing that it would be impossible for us to hold
Nombre in the face of the overwhelming force that was being
sent against us, I decided to quit the city ; but I accompanied
the announcement of this determination to the Governor of
Nombre with certain threats of return which I believe will
cause him to retain those soldiers — the whole garrison of
Panama, you understand — in Nombre for a full month, or
perhaps longer.

" Panama, you will perceive, is thus left defenceless; and
it is my idea to at once make a dash across the isthmus, seize
the biggest, or at least the most formidable, ship in the

258 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

harbour, exact from the Governor, by threats or even force,
if possible, full information respecting the galleys aboard
which the Englishmen have been shipped, and then go in
search of them until I have found them and liberated my
countrymen.

" You can help me in this project, if you will, in the following
manner. My ship lies at anchor in the little cove of which
you know, not far from here. I shall be obliged to leave her
there, since I intend to take my entire company with me ;
and I propose to leave her in your charge. I shall dismantle
her, stowing her spars, sails, gear and ordnance below, and
roofing her over with a thatch of palm leaves to protect her
hull from the sun and weather, and if you will lend me a few
of your people, they will be helpful in that part of my work.
Then, when that is done, you can further help me by furnishing
me with a guide who will lead me to Panama, and by lending
me either mules or men who will help me and my people to
transport across the isthmus such stores and ammunition as
it will be necessary for us to take with us. Will you do

this ? "

" Sehor," exclaimed Lukabela, " we Cimarrones live but to
wreak our righteous vengeance upon the Spaniard. We are
his enemies ; and you, too, are his enemies ; therefore in
any attempt of yours which has for its object the spoil-
ing of the Spaniard we are your natural allies, and you
may command our help to any extent which you may
deem needful. I can place fifty men at your service ; and
if these be not enough I can increase the number to five
hundred in the course of a week if you care to wait so
long."

"A thousand thanks!" said George. "Your fifty men
will no doubt prove ample, for I do not anticipate that there
will be any fighting to do, except at sea, and for that my
own men will be sufficient. When can I have your men to
assist me aboard the ship ? "

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 259

" I will bring them to you within the hour, senor, if that wiU

suffice/' answered Lukabela.

" Thanks," answered George, (t that will do most admirably.
And now, that matter being settled, I will return at once
and make all the necessary preparations. The boats shall
be waiting to convey you aboard the ship in one hour's
time."

And therewith he and his party rose and, bidding Lukabela
a temporary farewell, hurried back to the Nonsuch, where
preparations were at once made for the dismantling of
the ship prior to the adventurous expedition across the
isthmus.

That day and the one that followed it were days of strenuous
labour indeed, not only for the crew of the Nonsuch, but also
for their black allies, who turned up on the beach in full
strength, and with most commendable punctuality, under
Lukabela, and were promptly taken aboard. For there was a

very considerable amount of heavy work to be done : sails
were to be loosed and dried, unbent, rolled up and stowed
away below ; yards and topmasts to be sent down, scraped
and thoroughly greased before they, too, were stowed below ;
gear unrove, overhauled, made up in coils and labelled ; the
ordnance dismounted, and, in short, the ship dismantled to
her three lower masts, and every movable thing stowed away
out of reach of covetous hands — for George felt that it would
be unwise to trust his black allies too far or too implicitly.
Then every anchor and cable belonging to the ship was used
to moor her securely, for it was impossible to estimate how
long she would have to lie there at the mercy of the elements.
And all this had to be done in a small landlocked cove, hemmed
in on every side by high, densely- wooded land, where the trade-
wind could not penetrate, and where the land and sea breezes
were represented by merely fitful breathings of suffocatingly
hot air drifting by at infrequent intervals. And this, too,
with a blazing sun almost immediately overhead ; for it was

a6o THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

now mid-August, and the cove lay almost immediately under
the ninth parallel of north latitude.

Then, when all this was done, there was the fixing up of the
framework for a roof or awning of palmleaf thatch for the
protection of the deck and hull of the ship from the sun's
rays ; but Lukabela assured George that there was no need
to delay the departure of the expedition until the roof had
been thatched, for he undertook that the women of his village,
who were, according to him, experts in the art of thatching,
should attend to that part of the business.

The evening of the second day witnessed the completion of
the preparations for the Englishmen's daring descent upon
Panama ; and within an hour after sunrise on the following
day the entire party, with fifty Cimarrones under Lukabela,
and a train of twenty mules, also furnished by the Cimarrone
chief, mustered on the beach of the little secret cove and
made their final preparations for the march. These merely
consisted in loading the indispensable baggage of the party
upon the mules ; and as this work was performed by the
deft hands of the Cimarrones, twenty minutes sufficed for the
accomplishment of the task, when the expedition at once
started, taking the way, in the first instance, toward Lukabela's
village.

Until the adventurers reached the village the march was
accomplished in a very loose and happy-go-lucky fashion, half
the Cimarrones leading the way, with the Englishmen follow-
ing in small chattering parties of twos and threes as the path
through the bush would permit, while the mule train, in
charge of the other half of the Cimarrones, brought up the
rear. But with their departure from the village silence and
strict military discipline became the order of the day, because
although Lukabela was going to lead them, not by the Gold
road, upon which they would be liable to encounter travellers
at any moment, but by a devious and secret path, known only

to the Cimarrones, they would still be passing through the

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 261

enemy's country, and would be liable to detection unless the
utmost caution was observed. Therefore the order of march
was thus arranged : In the lead went, as guide and scout,
fully armed with bow and spear, the Cimarrone who of the
whole tribe was most intimately acquainted with the route
which was to be followed. Then, in single file, distant from
each other about fifty yards, went five other Cimarrones in
the track of the leader, their duty being to watch for and
transmit to the main body any signals which the leader might
make. Then, some fifty yards in the rear of the rearmost
of these five, marched twenty Cimarrones whose duty it
would be to make a stand should the enemy by any chance
appear in force, while the main body retired upon the nearest
defensive position. Fifty yards to the rear again followed the
aforesaid main body, consisting of half the Englishmen, the

mule train, and the other half of the Englishmen, while the
remainder of the Cimarrones constituted the rear guard.

The route lay almost entirely through dense, lofty forest,
and wound hither and thither in the most bewildering fashion ;
for in addition to the giant trees which constituted the forest
proper, there was a vast quantity of thick, tangled under-
growth, through which a man might indeed have forced his
way with difficulty, but which was absolutely impassable for
laden mules ; therefore it was necessary to follow the sinuosities
of the thinner parts of the jungle where a few occasional
strokes of a machete were all that were required to enable the
laden animals to pass. Under such circumstances progress
was necessarily slow, and also fatiguing ; but the Englishmen
forgot not only the snail like nature of their progress, but also
the oppressive heat and fatigue of the march, for they were now
in a new and wonderful world, more strange and beautiful than
anything that the most fanciful imagination among them had
ever pictured. To men like themselves, seamen, accustomed day
after day, for months at a time, to the sight of the open sky,
the boundless sea, the invigorating breath of the salt wind,

262 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

and the feeling of a heaving deck beneath their feet, it was a

novelty to be trudging upon firm ground along a forest path,
enveloped in the mystery of soft green twilight, with dense
masses of foliage overhead shutting out all sight of the sky
except at infrequent intervals their horizon bounded by the
leafy brake within arm's reach of them on either hand, and
to breathe the hot, close atmosphere of the woods, pungent
with many strange odours ; to listen to the silence of the
forest, accentuated rather than broken by the sounds of their
passage, and the low singing hum of innumerable myriads of
invisible insects ; to start as a sudden whirr of wings directed
their attention to some brilliant plumaged bird seen for an
instant flashing athwart their ken like a living gem and then
vanishing they scarcely knew whither ; to behold the countless
strange forms and curious colours of the flowers that sprang
beneath their feet or hung in festoons from the lofty branches
overhead ; to hear the mysterious sounds that occasionally
came to them from the forest on either hand ; and to slake
their thirst by devouring the strange but luscious fruits
indicated by their friends the Cimarrones and partaken of at
first doubtfully and with extremest caution. And it was only
when they suddenly emerged from the forest gloom into
some brake open to the sky, and halted for a moment until their
eyes grew accustomed to the dazzling daylight, that they were
able to realise how intense that gloom had been. But the
novelty of the journey was not all pleasurable, for apart from
the breathless, oppressive heat, and the annoyance caused by
the pertinacious attacks 'of mosquitos, gnats, and other fiercely
stinging insects, there was a certain element of danger, as was
manifested by the frequent low warning cry raised by a
Cimarrone, of " Culebra, culebra ; guardarseJ" (snake, snake;

beware!), *

It was close upon noon when, after a gentle ascent of about
four hours' duration, followed by a somewhat steeper descent
of rather less than half that time the expedition emerged

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 263

from the forest and found itself in a small, open, grassy space,
bordered on the one hand by the high woods and on the other
by a small stream of crystal clear water flowing over a gravelly
bed ; and here Lukabela gave the welcome announcement
that he proposed to call a halt tor two hours in order that
men and animals might rest and refresh themselves during
the hottest part of the day. Accordingly arms were piled,
armour put off, and most of the Englishmen indulged in the
unwonted luxury of a fresh water bath, while the faithful
Cimarrones — or Maroons, as some of the mariners began to
call them — unloaded the mules, watered them, and then
hobbled them to feed upon the rich, short grass, lighted a fire,
cut down sweet, balsam like boughs and built little arbours
with them in the shadow of which their white friends might
sleep. And when, after a refreshing bath and a still more
refreshing sleep, the Englishmen were awakened about two
o'clock, behold ! those faithful and indefatigable allies the
Cimarrones had provided a delicious hot meal for their delecta-
tion, consisting of the choicest portions of two freshly- killed
deer, which, having been first wrapped in clay, were afterwards
baked in the embers of the fire, thus completely retaining all
the natural juices of the meat and rendering it incomparably
delicate, tender and tasty. Then, the meal finished, the
Cimarrones — always the Cimarrones — produced certain dried
golden-brown leaves, which they deftly fashioned into cigarros
for the delectation of themselves and such of the Englishmen
as were adventurous enough to test the seductive effects of
tobacco ; and when the cigarros had duly been done justice
to the mules were rounded up, loaded, the order of march
arranged, and the journey resumed.

The afternoon march was, in all essential respects, similar to
that of the morning, and continued until about five o'clock in
the evening, when another open, grassy glade, very similar to
that of the noontide halt, was reached, and here Lukabela
announced his intention of halting for the night. Then

264 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

occurred a repetition of the principal events of the previous
halt, except that after the Englishmen had bathed to their
satisfaction they found a hot meal awaiting them without the
preliminary of the two hours' sleep. As before, the meal was
followed by cigarros, accompanied by a little desultory con-
versation ; but this did not continue long, for the Englishmen,
at least, were dead weary with their unwonted labours, and
one after another they stretched themselves out where they
sat and, careless of the saturating dew, at once sank into
dreamless slumber, surrounded by their faithful allies, four of
whom kept watch over the sleeping camp until another day
dawned. And so the march continued day after day with
little variation, sometimes climbing upward and at other times
descending, but on the whole the tendency was distinctly to
rise.

Toward the close of the third day, and in a still more marked
degree during the fourth day of their march, the breaks in the

forest became more frequent, and of greater extent, occa-
sionally permitting them to get a glimpse of their more
immediate surroundings, when it became apparent, as might
indeed be judged by the up-and-down character of the way
which they had already traversed, that they were in the midst
of hilly country, a dip in the forest occasionally revealing a
blue peak breaking the sky-line in the far distance. And when
they halted at midday on the fourth day it was in a glade
that formed part of the very crest of a mountain spur, so
that, even as they partook of their midday meal they were
able to look out over a vast extent of country both ahead of
and behind them. In the latter direction they saw mile after
mile of undulating woods stretching away into the distance,
the outline gradually softening and the infinite variety of green
tints gradually merging into filmy grey ; and beyond it the
Caribbean shimmering beneath the tropic sun ; while ahead
of them, to the south-east, and almost within a stone's throw,
as it seemed, rose a lofty ridge, which Lukabela informed

THE CRUrSE OF THE " NONSUCH " 265

George was the backbone of the range, from the summit of
which could be seen Panama and that — to Englishmen —
almost fabulous ocean, the Southern Sea, the very existence
of which the Spaniards were guarding as a priceless secret.

But, near as that ridge looked from their midday camping-
place, it was not reached until the evening of the fifth day of
their march ; and then, after toiling up a steep slope for half
an hour, the party topped it, and a sudden shout of exultation
burst from their throats as, standing in a little glade, they
looked out over the tree-tops of the intervening forest and
saw first another but much lower ridge, with a mountain
valley between it and them, and beyond that ridge, and only
some ten miles distant, the white towers and buildings of
Panama nestling beside a river which discharged into its
harbour, the harbour itself dotted with a few ships, and beyond
it again the great, boundless, mystic Southern Sea, at the
sight of which George and his crew, like the pious Christian

mariners that they were, incontinently fell upon their knees
and gave God thanks, vowing at the same time that by His
grace they would sail those waters until they had recovered
the lost ones of whom they were in search — or had fearfully
avenged their death.

And now it became necessary to exercise the most extreme
caution, for, so far as was known, there were no Indians
within twenty miles of Panama, save a few "tame" t>nes
who had been permitted to establish themselves within some
four miles of the city, and who made a living by growing
vegetables and fruit and rearing poultry for the Panama
market ; the country all round about within a radius of a
dozen miles or so had therefore come to be regarded as
practically as safe as the streets of the city itself, and hawking
parties were of frequent occurrence among the magnates of
Panama. And to encounter one of these parties would be to
inevitably give the alarm to the citizens, which, strong as
the English felt themselves to be, was a consummation to be

266 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

II

carefully avoided ; wherefore, having gazed their fill upon the
glorious prospect before them, the party retired along the way
by which they had come, until they reached a spot where they
had already decided to camp ; and there they spent the night.
The journey down into the plain was accomplished on the
following day with the utmost circumspection, not only
because every step which they now took led to the danger of
detection by some party of sportsmen, or solitary fowler, but
also because the " tame " Indians had to be reckoned with ;
and it was known that these were in the habit of wandering
far up the slopes of the Cordilleras in search of game and of the
fruit that grew wild in rich abundance in certain of the woods.
Moreover, the time had now arrived when a definite plan of
action of some sort must be determined upon, since this would
largely influence the manner of their approach to the city and
their subsequent actions. Therefore as soon as the party had
once more topped the ridge upon which they had stood
entranced for half an hour during the previous evening young
St. Leger called a halt and, flinging himself down upon the
grass, produced his perspective glass — or telescope, as we now
call the much improved instrument — and with its assistance
subjected the town and roadstead to a prolonged and careful
examination. The result of this examination, and of a con-
ference with his officers which was simultaneously conducted,
was that the resolution was made to capture a certain caravel
which was seen to be riding at anchor in the roadstead and
which appeared to be the best suited to their requirements of
any of the ships then in sight ; and, having secured possession
of her, to threaten the town with destruction by her guns
until all the information required from the Governor had been
abstracted from him ; after which the only thing remaining to
be done would be to sail in search of the galleys containing
the English prisoners, and capture them when found. It was
an audacious scheme, for Panama was the biggest and most
important city on the continent at that time, and, apart from

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 267

the question of soldiers, the citizens alone if they chose to arm
themselves and fight were sufficiently numerous to over-
whelm the English ; but George had by that time learned to
gauge the courage of the American Spaniard pretty accurately,
and he felt that the undertaking which he had planned,
although difficult, was by no means beyond his power to
accomplish.

CHAPTER XVI

How They Took the Great Galleon.

In order to obtain possession of the caravel which George
had marked down as his prey, boats were necessary, since the
vessel lay at anchor in the roadstead, instead of alongside
the wharf ; and to obtain boats it would be necessary to enter
the city. But Panama, like Nombre and San Juan, and indeed
all the Spanish settlements in America, was fortified on the
landward side as a protection against the incursions of the
savages who, gentle enough when the white man first came
among them, soon had their most ferocious and bloodthirsty
instincts fully aroused by the heartless cruelty and treachery
with which the Spaniards quickly began to treat them ; to
enter the city from its landward side was therefore impossible
for the English without at cnce betraying themselves and
something of their purpose. The only alternative, therefore,
was to gain an entrance from the water ; and the problem was
how to do this without betraying themselves and putting the
inhabitants on their guard.

At first the difficulty seemed to be insurmountable, but
George St. Leger was one of those who refuse to acknowledge
anything as impossible ; and at length, when the party had
halted at midday behind the very last screen of timber between
them and the city, he believed he had discovered the answer
to his problem.

It has been said that Panama stood not only on the shore
of the ocean but also on the left bank of a small stream which,
taking its rise somewhere among the adjacent mountains,

268

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 269

discharged itself into the waters of the harbour, and when once
it had come to be recognised that the approach of the party
must be made by water, it was upon this stream that George
concentrated his attention. It was but an insignificant affair

as to width, and to all appearance shallow, but ]ust before it
reached the city it widened out to about sixty yards across ;
and while the young captain was studying it through his per-
spective glass, during the midday halt, he perceived a few
boats and canoes plying hither and thither upon that portion
of it which flowed past the town. Also, while he was watching,
his attention was attracted to two figures in the plain below ;
and by bringing his glass to bear upon them he was able to
distinguish that the leading figure was a Spaniard carrying
what appeared to be a hawk upon his wrist, while the individual
who followed him was either an Indian or a negro, he could
not distinguish which, but he saw that this person was carrying
something suspended from a pole over his shoulder, which
looked like and doubtless was a bunch of dead birds. The
pair walked straight to the margin of the stream, about three
quarters of a mile above the city, the stream being at that
point about twenty yards wide, and when the Spaniard reached
the margin he halted, turned and said something to his follower,
at the same time pointing to the ground, whereupon the black
carefully deposited the pole and its burden upon the ground,
then stooped low, and allowed the Spaniard to seat himself
astride upon his shoulders. Then, rising to his feet with his
burden, the black stepped into the stream, waded across,
deposited the Spaniard upon the bank, and, as the latter strode
off towards the town, returned, picked up his load, waded across
again, and followed the footsteps of his master. Now, there
was nothing very remarkable about this, but there were two
points connected with it which attracted George's notice, one of
them being that when the black stepped into the stream with his
master upon his shoulders, a single stride sufficed to carry him

into water deep enough to submerge him to his waist, and

270 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

that depth was maintained all the way across until within about
two yards of the bank. The other point which George considered
worthy of note was that about a hundred yards below the
point where those two persons had crossed the stream, there
grew a clump of bamboos sufficiently large to screen the entire
party from observation, if they could reach it undetected
by people in the town. He called Lukabela to him, told him
what he had seen, explained the scheme that had developed
in his mind while watching the passage of the two men across
the stream, and finally indicated the clump of bamboo, asking
whether there was any possibility of reaching it after dark
without being detected. The Cimarrone thereupon studied
the features of the country below and around him long and
intently, and at length answered in the affirmative,
pointing out the route which it would be necessary to
follow, and then, after a little further pregnant conversation,
the two rose and returned to where the rest of the party
lay perdu.

In conversation with Lukabela, George had already learned
from the Cimarrone that, from information derived by the
latter from certain runaway slaves, the citizens of Panama
were somewhat addicted to the keeping of late hours, as late
hours were counted in those days, that is to say, the more gay
and pleasure loving of the Panamans rarely thought of seeking
their couches before midnight ; St. Leger, therefore, deter-
mined to remain where he was until that hour in order that
his arrival in the city might be deferred until its roysterers
were all safely in bed and asleep ; also, there was in all pro-
bability a somewhat strenuous time before the Englishmen,
and some unlikelihood as to when they might reckon upon
another night's undisturbed rest ; upon his return to camp,
therefore, George issued an order that every man was to com-
pose himself to rest and get as much sleep as possible, the only
breaks in these periods of rest being at the appointed meal times.
But the young captain had by this time become wise m the art

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 271

of warfare, consequently he took the precaution to protect his
camp from surprise by throwing out strong pickets of Cimar-
rones in every direction from which surprise could possibly
come ; and, this done, the expedition composed itself to

rest.

It was about five o'clock in the evening that George was
awakened by a light touch upon his shoulder, and, springing
up, he found Lukabela bending over him with his finger to
his lips.

" What is it, chief ? " demanded George in a whisper.

"Come and see," replied the Cimarrone in an equally
guarded tone of voice ; whereupon George arose and,
led by the black, noiselessly quitted the sleeping
camp and made his way to a small knoll in the open,
commanding a fairly comprehensive view of the city and
roadstead.

As the pair crept cautiously to the summit of the knoll and
peered over it, Lukabela pointed with his finger and murmured
" Behold ! " And, looking in the direction toward which the
chief was pointing, George beheld a noble and stately galleon
standing in toward the anchorage with ensigns and pennons fly-
ing from her mastheads, and with a large galley acting as escort
to her. The galleon was an exceptionally large vessel, being,
as St. Leger estimated, of fully five hundred tons measurement.
She showed a double tier of ordnance, besides sakers, falcons,
falconettes and serpentines on her poop and fore and after
castles. She was painted a deep golden yellow, with broad
white bands along her two tiers of gun ports, and there was,
in accordance with the Spanish fashion of the times, a tre-
mendous amount of decorative gilding about her bows and
quarters ; her sails also were decorated with paintings, though
what subjects were represented it was impossible to distinguish
at that distance.

"A plate ship, loaded with silver from Lima, without a

doubt/' whispered Lukabela. "I saw her appear round

272 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

yonder headland about half an hour ago, and I thought you
would be interested/'

"I am/' replied George emphatically, bringing his glass
to bear upon the craft, and he watched her as she gradually
drifted in toward the anchorage, while Lukabela kept
a look-out to guard against their being surprised by
passers by.

Slow and stately the great galleon crept toward the road-
stead, impelled by the dying sea-breeze, and at length, as
the wind dropped altogether and the waters of the bay became
a flawless mirror reflecting the gorgeous tints of a flaming
sunset, she dropped her ponderous anchor about half a mile
from the shore ; her gaily painted sails were slowly clewed up
and furled ; the galley went alongside and received several
richly dressed persons from the galleon, including some three
or four in full suits of armour, and then pushed off and pulled
toward the quay, churning the placid waters of the bay into
foam with the long, regular strokes of her sixty oars, finally
ranging up alongside and mooring to the wharf, when the
passengers from the galleon and some twenty other persons,
who were probably the officers of the galley, landed and dis-
appeared among the streets of the city.

Then George St. Leger arose from his place of concealment
among the long grass at the summit of the knoll, thinking
deeply, and made his way back to the camp, accompanied
by the Cimarrone chief. As they entered the camp George
turned to his black companion and said :

" My thanks to you, Lukabela, for arousing me. The sight
you showed me was well worth looking at. Please God,
before twelve hours are past that ship and her cargo shall be
mine ; ay, and the galley too. For who knows but
that somebody aboard her may be able to give me news
of my brother. "

*

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 273

The gre^t bell of Panama cathedral was booming out the
hour of midnight, and its sonorous strokes came floating
slowly and subdued by distance to the camp of the English
adventurers as the sturdy band, having partaken of a hearty
supper, formed up into marching order prior to leaving their
place of concealment. A strong scouting party of Cimarrones
had been thrown forward in advance to guard against surprise,
and as George completed his inspection of weapons and equip-
ment the cry of a nightjar coming from the extreme distance
and repeated ever nearer by the line of scouts told that the
way was clear and that the column might begin its
advance.

There is no need to describe, step by step, the sinuous passage
through the long grass of that band of intrepid adventurers
toward the clump of bamboos which was to be their rallying
point ; they knew that danger encompassed them on every
hand, and that the most trivial accident might result in their
premature discovery and, possibly the ruin of all their plans,
yet they pressed forward steadily and unflinchingly, trusting
implicitly in the wisdom of their leaders and the sagacity of
their black allies, and in about three-quarters of an hour
arrived safely at the point for which they were aiming, without
the occurrence of the slightest disconcerting incident of any
description.

Here, completely screened from observation by the sheltering
clump of bamboos, the blacks at once proceeded to unload
the pack mules and stack their loads in close proximity to
the river bank. And while this was being done, George, Dyer,
and twelve of the most reliable of the Englishmen calmly
laid aside their weapons, armour, and all clothing, and at
a signal from their captain, crept crouchingly round the
shoulder of the bamboo clump to the river margin where, after
heads had been counted to see that none was missing, the whole
party noiselessly entered the water, waded out to mid stream,
and then, following their leader, proceeded to swim silently

274 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

and with deliberation toward the city. There was a moon,
in her first quarter, shining brightly almost directly overhead,
which afforded ample light for the party to see where they
were going, while a soft mist hung over the river and the low
ground about the city, which to a certain extent concealed
their movements.

George was careful not to hurry himself or his followers,
for, in the first place, they were a full quarter of an hour
earlier than they expected, and he did not wish to reach the
city until he could be reasonably sure that its inhabitants
were all abed and asleep, and in the next place he was anxious
to conserve his own and his followers' strength as far as possible,
knowing that many heavy demands would be made upon it
before long ; he therefore paddled very quietly along, hardly
exerting himself at all and allowing the current to carry him
cityward. Thus the hour of one boomed out from the cathedral
while they were still a quarter of a mile from the inner ex-
tremity of the quay for which they were aiming.

At length, however, drifting for the most part, and only
swimming a stroke or two occasionally to guide themselves,
they reached the extremity of the wharf, where they found
a flight of steps at which they landed. Here, in obedience
to an order from George, the remainder of the party crouched
well below the level of the quay, while their leader cautiously
climbed the steps to reconnoitre. A single glance sufficed
to show that the whole length of the quay in sight nearly
half a mile was deserted, while not a light was to be seen in
any direction. This latter circumstance, however, was pre-
sently accounted for by the fact that all the buildings facing
the wharf were evidently warehouses, for the most part one-
story buildings with broad verandahs reaching out before
them, undoubtedly for the purpose of protecting the workers
from the terrific heat of the mid day sun. Now, however,
under the moon's rays, those verandahs, many of them cum-
bered with bales and cases of merchandise, cast a deep, almost

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH" 275

opaque shadow, of which George instantly determined to
avail himself ; therefore, beckoning to his followers, he made
a dash across the staring moonlighted quay to the nearest
verandah, and in less than three minutes all hands were
huddled in the deep shadow of a pile of bales.

Thus far all had gone well, they were actually in the city
of Panama, with never a soul a penny the wiser ; and George
felt that, having accomplished so much, it would be strange
indeed if he could not carry the whole of his plans to fruition.
But, great as their peril had been already, that peril had, after
all, been merely that of discovei y ; now it was infinitely greater,
for there they were, fourteen naked Englishmen, unarmed
save for a knife which each carried in a sheath strapped to
his waist, in a hostile city where, if they should be caught, they
might be certain of either the galleys or worse still the
Inquisition. Meanwhile, however, there seemed little im-
mediate fear of either as George peered out from his hiding-
place and intently scanned the length of the quay. As has been
said, not a single living thing was visible, but there were
several craft moored alongside, small vessels mostly, such as
coasters, fishing craft, and lighters ; but probably a portion
at least of the crews of these craft lived and slept aboard them,
and a restless man coming up on deck for a breath of fresh
air at an inopportune moment might suffice to ruin every-
thing.

Cautiously George emerged from his place of concealment,
flitted across the width of the quay, and peered over its edge.
He looked down upon three clumsy, half decked fishing craft,
apparently deserted, but quite unfit for his purpose. Beyond
them was a tier of heavy lighters moored three abreast, with
nobody aboard them, and beyond them a small coasting
craft with hatches on, and her cabin and forecastle doors,
as well as her skylights, closed. Nobody aboard her, certainly.
Glancing around him, and signalling his unseen companions
to follow him up, he ran along the edge of the quay until he

276 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH »

had passed the coaster, when he found himself close to several
tiers of lighters, all moored three abreast, beyond which were
two small coasters, moored one outside the other, then more
lighters, and a whole crowd of fishing craft. Swiftly George
sped along past these, glancing continually about him to
assure himself that he was unobserved and that his people
were following him, and at length he came to where a large
caravel was lying moored to the quay, with all her boats
in the water alongside her. Here was what he wanted at
last, and pausing but an instant to beckon his companions,
he sprang from the quay into the vessel's main rigging, and
from thence noiselessly made his way to her deck. Less than
half a minute later his thirteen companions stood beside
him.

Collecting his followers round him with a wave of his hand,
St. Leger rapidly issued his instructions. He had already
satisfied himself that the boats alongside contained everything
that he required in the way of equipment, therefore, all that
was necessary was to take possession of them and get away
from the parent craft without alarming any of the crew who,
he judged from certain evidence, were asleep below therefore
at the conclusion of his few brief orders his followers slid
one after the other down the side of the caravel into the boats,
taking the utmost care to make no sound, and when they were
all down, George cast off the painters, one after the other, and
dropped their ends into the hands outstretched to receive them,
finally climbing down into the largest boat and signing to his
followers to shove off. This was done with the bare hands,
hence there was no rattle of oars, nor even the faintest plash
of water, for once adrift, the boats were carried slowly down
the harbour by the current.

There were four boats in all, the largest being the caravel's
pinnace, a craft pulling twelve oars, and the other three boats
were made fast in a string behind her. But these four boats
were insufficient for George's purpose, since they would

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 277

accommodate scarcely three quarters of his entire party, with
their baggage, weapons, and ammunition, therefore other craft
were needed, and these they at once proceeded to look out
for as the boats drifted slowly to seaward. The drift was
exceedingly slow, much too slow indeed for George's impatience,
and he commented upon it in a whisper to Dyer who was
sitting in the stern sheets beside him. The pilot looked about
him for a moment and then, whispering back, hazarded the
opinion that the tide was about to turn, if indeed it had not
already done so, and that the young flood would be setting up
the harbour within the next half-hour, indicating his reasons
for arriving at such a conclusion. This, and the fact that a
light south-easterly breeze was beginning to make itself
felt, suggested an idea to the young captain which he com-
municated to Dyer, and the latter approving, they decided to
adopt it at the earliest oppori unity. And that opportunity
was not long in coming, for they had scarcely drifted a quarter
of a mile down the harbour when they came abreast of a large
building opposite which some forty or fifty boats of all sizes
were moored, some of them being rowing boats while others
were rigged for sailing. Using a pair of oars paddle wise, the
little flotilla of boats was skilfully guided toward these, and
a few minutes later they were alongside and made fast. Three
good roomy boats were quickly chosen from among these and
secured, and then the whole seven were secured together in a
string. Then one of the larger sailing boats was cast adrift,
the string of rowing boats, each with a man in her, was made
fast astern, and the sailing boat was pushed off. And now
came what was perhaps the most critical moment of the enter-
prise ; for although they had thus far seen no one there was
no doubt that many men were sleeping aboard the various
craft in the harbour, and the slightest suspicious sound might
awaken somebody and at once cause an alarm to be raised.
Still, a certain amount of risk had to be run, and George de-
cided to take it at once. The sailing boat was therefore skilfully

278 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

manoeuvred to the middle of the harbour, her bows turned up
stream by a few quick strokes of an oar, and then, with the
observance of the utmost precaution, her single sail was set
with only a very slight momentary rustling of the loosened
canvas. A few seconds later the halyard was made fast,
the sheet was trimmed aft, and the boat, with the string of
seven in tow astern, began to move slowly and silently up the
stream.

To George it seemed as though that short voyage would never
end, for by the time that they had secured the full number of
boats required, the adventurers had drifted nearly a mile
down the harbour, and the whole of that distance, and some-
thing more, had to be retraced before they could consider them-
selves safe from discovery, while it was practically certain
that if so much as a single person should get sight of them the
alarm would at once be raised ; for the spectacle of a sailing
boat with seven rowing boats in tow proceeding up the river
at that hour would be sufficiently remarkable to instantly
arouse suspicion. But after some twenty-five minutes of
tense anxiety the little flotilla rounded a bend in the stream
and the worst of the danger was past, while another twenty
minutes brought them up abreast the bamboo clump where
their comrades and the Cimarrones were anxiously awaiting
them.

And now all was bustle and activity ; the boats were brought
alongside the bank of the stream, and while their captors
scrambled ashore and hastily resumed their clothing, armour,
and weapons, the other contingent, assisted by the Cimarrones,
carefully stowed their belongings in varying proportions in
the several row boats. By the time that this was done, their
companions were once more clothed, and all was ready for a
start. Then fervent farewells were exchanged between the
English and the Cimarrones, Lukabela faithfully promising
to keep /an eye upon the Nonsuch and see that nothing un-
toward happened to her during the absence of her crew, while

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 279

George on his part as faithfully promised that, upon his return,
his faithful allies should be munificently rewarded for the
very valuable assistance which they had rendered. After
the Cimarrones had unwillingly departed, George mustered
and inspected his followers, satisfied himself that all were
present and that their weapons were in good order and ready
for instant service, made them a good rousing speech — in res-
ponse to which they were with difficulty restrained from cheer-
ing, and finally told them off, one by one, to the particular
boat in which each man was to go. The boats were now all
arranged in a string, as before, in tow of the sailing boat, and,
with the crews lying perdu in the bottom of their respective
craft, the entire expedition got under way and proceeded down
the river.

Meanwhile, the weather had undergone a certain change.
The wind which an hour earlier had scarcely sufficed the sailing
boat, with the row boats in tow, to stem the current of the
stream, was now piping up a merry breeze, fresh enough to
drive the flotilla along at a speed of fully three knots, while
heavy masses of cloud were sweeping up from the south east,
obscuring the moon for frequent and lengthening intervals,
both of which circumstances were in the adventurers' favour.
Despite the fact that the tide was now distinctly against them,
the flotilla made such excellent progress that within half an
hour of starting they were again abreast of the town, hugging
the face of the quay as closely as possible in order to reduce their
chances of detection. Half way down the harbour they passed
a galley — undoubtedly the galley which had served as escort
to the galleon in the roadstead— moored alongside the quay,
and George felt sorely tempted to dash alongside and take
possession of her. But there was scarcely one chance in a
thousand that this could have been done without raising an
alarm of some sort ; it was too much to hope that a surprise
should be so complete that no shout should be raised by any
one of her startled crew, no shot fired, no clash of weapons

280 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

disturb the silence of the night ; and an alarm at this stage
of the proceedings would ruin the whole of his carefully laid
plans ; therefore, although the young captain gazed long and
wistfully at the formidable-looking craft as he swept past,
he bit his lips and kept silence, holding the bows of
the sailing boat now pointed steadily toward the distant
galleon.

At this moment a great black cloud drifted up athwart the
half moon, shutting off her light and causing a darkness
to fall upon the scene that, for a few seconds and until the
eye grew accustomed to it, seemed almost Egyptian in its
intensity, while the breeze freshened to such an extent as to
careen the sailing-boat gunwale-to and nearly double her speed
through the water. Her slight timbers creaked and groaned
with the increased pressure put upon them by the heavy drag
of the boats in tow, and Dyer laid his hand apprehensively
upon the painter of the leading boat, strained as taut as a
bar ; but it was no time for vacillation, the obscurity and
the increased strength of the wind were almost worth men's
lives at such a moment, and George, who was tending the
boat's mainsheet, hung on to every inch of it, like grim death.
Once, as they went foaming close past a cluster of small
traders, moored three abreast alongside the quay, just as his
eyes were becoming accustomed to the sudden darkness,
George thought he saw a man's head suddenly appear above
the rail of one of them, and was almost certain that a moment
later he heard a faint hail, but he took no notice of it beyond
inquiring of Dyer whether he had heard anything to which
the pilot replied in the negative ; and five minutes later they
were clear of the harbour and all danger of detection was for
the moment at an end.

The galleon, tall and stately, was now distinctly visible,
riding head to wind, with a single anchor down, her three poop
lanterns lighted, and a lantern glimmering under the heel of
her spritsail mast ; and straight toward her sped the flotilla

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 281

of boats, threshing through the short, choppy sea raised by the
freshening breeze and throwing the spray in heavy showers
over their crews. George, no longer afraid of his voice being
heard, hailed the crew of the leading boat, ordering them to
protect the priming of their weapons from the spray, and to
pass the caution along the line, and then directed his attention
to the galleon.

Another quarter of a mile, and the time for action had
come. With a warning shout to the boats astern, he gave
orders for the sail to be lowered, and a minute later he and
his crew had transferred themselves to the largest row-boat,
the sailing boat that had served them so well was cast adrift,
the painters were cast off, and the boats, each now a separate
entity, formed in line abreast and, with muffled oars, gave
way for the galleon, their crews not hurrying themselves but
pulling a long, steady stroke that enabled them to hus-
band their strength for the struggle that probably lay before

them.

Shaping a course that would carry them about a hundred
yards ahead of the galleon, the flotilla, as soon as they reached
this point, separated into two divisions, larboard and star-
board, and turning head to wind, laid in their oars, all but a
single pair to each boat, and while the men manipulating
these two oars guided their respective craft in such a manner
as to cause them to drive gently down before the wind and
sea alongside the galleon, the remainder of the boats' crews
looked to their weapons and made ready to climb the vessel's
lofty sides, intently watching meanwhile for any indication that
their approach had been detected by the Spaniard's crew. But
nothing was seen, no warning shout was heard, no head
showed peering curiously over the head rails, in fact everything
seemed to point to the fact that the watch was asleep, if
indeed a watch was being kept at all, which the Spaniards
would be likely to regard as quite unnecessary in waters where
hitherto no enemy had ever appeared.

282 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

A few minutes more of patient, carefully managed drifting,
and the boats were skilfully manoeuvred alongside, one after
the other, and then, at a low whistle from the young captain,
the adventurers went swarming up the towering sides of the
galleon, as noiselessly as a drifting mist wreath, and in over
the lofty bulwarks, in the shadow of which they formed
up, bare footed, as they came. Within a minute all hands,
with their scanty baggage, were out of the boats, and the latter
were cast adrift, while thus far not a Spaniard had been seen.
Then, choosing half a dozen men to follow him, and directing
Dyer and Basset to form the remainder into a strong guard
over the hatchways, George led the way aft into the poop
cabins.

The first apartment visited was the grand saloon, a fine,
spacious, lofty apartment of the full width of the ship, most
sumptuously furnished and decorated, lighted during the day
by three large ports on either side, and a skylight overhead —
all now open to admit the comparatively cool night wind — and
during the night by a large and very handsome silver lamp
suspended from the beams. That lamp was now burning,
but turned low ; and George' s first act was to turn it up so that
he might have the advantage of its full illumination to look
about him. The walls and bulkheads were decorated with a
number of pictures that to the eye of the unsophisticated young
Englishman looked no more than merely pleasing representa-
tions of landscapes and shipping, but several of them bore as
signatures names that are now world famous, while some of
the paintings which St. Leger regarded as hardly worthy of a
second glance to day adorn picture galleries, the contents of
which are reckoned of incalculable value. The furniture was
elegantly carved and richly gilt, the upholstery was of velvet
and silk ; a guitar gaily decorated with ribbons lay where it
had been carelessly placed upon one of the divans, with a pair
of beautifully embroidered gloves near it ; and the after-bulk-
head supported a splendid trophy of weapons, conspicuous

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 283

among which was a magnificent sword with a gold hilt and a
Toledo blade elegantly damascened in gold.

A door in this bulkhead showed that there was another
apartment on the other side of it, and to this door George
strode and, sword m hand, flung it open, holding himself ready
for a sudden attack by the occupant. But the room — which
was a large state-room, as handsomely furnished as the grand
saloon — was untenanted ; and then George suddenly remem-
bered that upon the arrival of the galleon he had seen several
people leave her in the galley, and it now began to dawn upon
him that those people must undoubtedly have been the captain
and principal officers of the ship, who, in accordance with the
Spanish fashion of the times, had no doubt regarded their
duty as at an end with the letting go of the anchor, and had
accordingly gone ashore to celebrate the successful completion
of the voyage. And so upon further inspection it proved, not
a single officer of any description being found in the after part
of the ship, which, by the way, proved to be named the
Cristobal Colon. As regards the remainder of the crew, a
cautious reconnoitre revealed the fact that they were all sleep-
ing more or less soundly in their stifling quarters on the lower
deck, and this ascertained, it was not difficult to arouse them
by a sudden call of " All hands on deck ! " They came, stum-
bling, grumbling, execrating, and still more than half asleep,
up through the hatchways, and as they came, unarmed, they
were carefully herded upon the fore part of the deck where,
when all hands of them had appeared, they were placed under
the guard of a strong body of Englishmen armed with loaded
muskets, and told with pithy succinctness that the first man
who attempted to move without orders would be shot down.
Then, led by Dyer and Basset, a small party of Englishmen
went below and made a thorough search of the ship, securing
everything in the shape of a weapon that they could find, after
which a large store-room below was hastily cleared out, and
the Spanish crew temporarily but securely confined therein.

384 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

And thus, without the shedding of a single drop of blood,
George St. Leger and his sturdy Devonians came into possession
of the biggest galleon then afloat on the Pacific at the moment
when she bore the richest cargo that had ever left Lima in a
single bottom.

CHAPTER XVII

How They Fought the Galley,

By the time that all had been made secure aboard the galleon

it was within an hour and a half of sunrise, and St. Leger

knew from his own feelings that his followers must be beginning

to experience the fatiguing efforts of their strenuous and

exciting night's work ; he therefore told off four of the most

trustworthy of the men to observe an anchor watch, under

Dyer, and ordered the remainder of the crew to go below and

snatch a couple of hours* rest, that they might be the better

fitted to cope with the events of the coming day, which might

well be of such a character as to tax their energies to the

utmost. Then, accompanied by William Barker the gunner,

and two men bearing lighted lanterns, he went below to

inspect the ship's magazine the keys of which he had found

in the captain's state room— and to take stock of the nature

and quantity of the ammunition therein. This was found to be

abundant, the magazine being indeed packed full of powder and

matches, while a generous supply of shot of all descriptions,

including bar and chain, was discovered in the adjacent shot

lockers, much to the young captain's relief, for his chief anxiety

had been lest, after having taken the galleon, he should find

himself hampered by a lack of the means to keep her. As

for small arms, such as arquebuses, pistols, pikes, axes, swords,

bows long and cross — arrows, and bolts, a full supply for a

much stronger crew than his own had already been found,

irrespective of the well-tried weapons which they had brought

28*

286 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

with them across the isthmus. George's mind was therefore
now at rest, so far as matters of the greatest importance were
concerned ; he therefore concluded his inspection and returned
to the deck, easy in mind and greatly elated at the wonderful
success which had thus far attended his bold dash upon

Panama.

The new day was heralded by the sudden appearance of a
fleet of some seventy or eighty fishing boats and canoes coming
out of the harbour and hastening toward the fishing grounds
in the offing. Several of these small craft passed quite close
to the galleon, and the sight of them inspired George with an
idea. Making his way from the poop down into the grand
saloon, he rummaged about until he found writing materials,
when he sat down at the table and after some consideration
penned the following letter ;

" On board the galleon Cristobal Colon,
" August 19th, in the year of Our Lord 1569.

" To his Excellency Don Silvio Hermoso Maria Picador
" Calderon,
" Governor of the City of Panama, &c, &c, &c.

"Illustrious Senor.

" On the fourth day of this present month I arrived at
the city of Nombre de Dios upon a mission the purpose of
which was to secure the release of seventeen Englishmen
who were last year made prisoners in the course of a
treacherous and unjustifiable attack upon the fleet of
Admiral Hawkins while, in pursuance of an agreement
between himself and His Excellency Don Martin
Enriquez, the Viceroy of Mexico, he was refitting his

ships.

" I have traced those seventeen prisoners in the first
instance from San Juan de Ulua to Nombre de Dios ; and
upon my arrival at Nombre I was informed by His

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH 11 287

Excellency Don Sebastian de Albareda, the Governor of the
city, that they had been dispatched to Panama. Where-
upon, at my request, Don Sebastian was so obliging as
to address a letter to Your Excellency, informing you of
the purpose of my visit, and requesting you to take
whatever steps might be necessary to secure the immediate

release of those seventeen Englishmen and their surrender

to me.

" In due course Don Sebastian received your reply to
his letter, and that reply he permitted me to read. From
it I regretfully learned that Your Excellency categorically
refused to accede to Don Sebastian's most reasonable
request, notwithstanding the fact that the city of Nombre
was then in my hands and at my mercy, and that, for

all you knew to the contrary, your refusal would involve
it in all the horrors of sack and destruction.

" Your Excellency, I am not so inhumane as to punish
the innocent for the faults of the guilty, therefore since
Don Sebastian had obviously done everything in his
power to further the success of my mission, and had
failed, not through his own fault but because of your
obstinacy, I spared Nombre, and determined to try what
personal persuasion might effect with yourself. Accom-
panied by my followers, I set out for Panama, where we
arrived last night. And in the early hours of this morning
I took the first step toward reaching satisfactory terms
with Your Excellency by capturing the Cristobal Colon,
now riding at anchor in Panama roadstead.

" No doubt Your Excellency is well acquainted with
the galleon and the possibilities which she affords to a
determined captain backed by a strong and courageous
crew. If, however, Your Excellency chances to be
ignorant as to those possibilities — which I can scarcely
believe her captain, who, as I understand, is at present
in your city, will doubtless inform you that her armament

288 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

is sufficiently powerful and complete to destroy Panama
in the course of a few hours. To prevent any such un-
pleasant contingency as that, I therefore have to request
that Your Excellency will do me the honour to visit me
on board the ship before the hour of noon this day, to
treat with me respecting the immediate surrender of the
seventeen Englishmen already referred to.

" Failure to comply with this request will be followed
by an immediate bombardment of the city, greatly
as I shall regret the unnecessary sacrifice of life and
property.

" I kiss Your Excellency's hands and feet,

" And have the honour to be
" Your Excellencv's most humble and obedient servant.

tt

George St. Leger."

Having read over this letter and come to the conclusion that
it pretty clearly expressed all that he at that moment desired
to say to the Governor of Panama, George made a further
rummage of the cabin and, having at length found a sheet of
paper large enough for his purpose, he took a pen and, dipping
the feather of it in ink, proceeded laboriously to print upon it,
in Spanish, a proclamation to the citizens of Panama, informing
them that he, George St. Leger, having certain differences to
settle with His Excellency the Governor of the city, had, as
a preliminary, captured the Cristobal Colon, to which ship he
had summoned the Governor, before the hour of noon, for the
purpose of a conference ; and that, failing obedience on the
Governor's part, the city would be bombarded. He therefore
exhorted ail citizens who were anxious to escape the horrors of
a boir oardment to use their influence with the Governor in
order to persuade him to attend on board the galleon before
the hour named.

This done, the young captain extinguished the lamp, the rays

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 289

of which were already being dimmed by the daylight pouring
down through the skylight and in through the side ports, and
ascended to the poop to take a look round. As he stepped out
on deck through the companion he perceived that the weather
had again changed ; the dark clouds which had been sweeping
athwart the sky while he and his followers were making the
passage from the shore to the ship had vanished, leaving a
sky of deep, rich, stainless blue, brightening into clear primrose
to the eastward over the summits of the sierras which stood
out purple, sharp, and clean-cut against the delicate yellow
that was changing, even as he looked, to a clear, warm orange
before the approach of the risen but as yet invisible sun.
The fresh breeze of a few hours before had dwindled away to
a mere breathing, while inshore it had fallen a flat calm,
leaving five small craft ■ — probably bound for the Pearl Islands,
some forty miles to the southward and eastward — idly swinging
upon the low ground swell in the midst of the reflected image
of the town and the hilly country behind it. A few pale blue
wreaths of wood smoke were rising straight up into the clear
morning air here and there over the roofs of the houses, showing
that the early cup oi chocolate was already in course of pre-
paration for the luxury-loving Panamans, or possibly it might
indicate that the working portion of the population were
preparing their breakfast ; and, peering through his perspective
glass, George could see that the quay was already the scene of
a considerable amount of animation. The young man laughed
quietly to himself as the thought occurred to him that possibly
some at least of the animation might be due to the fact that
certain persons were busily engaged in an attempt to discover
what had become of their missing boats. Then the upper
limb of the sun throbbed suddenly into view over the ridge
of the sierras, flashing like white hot gold, a beam of golden
light shot down the wooded slopes, a multitude of hitherto
invisible objects sprang suddenly into view, and a new day
had come to Panama. Meanwhile the calm had imperceptibly

T

290 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

spread outward from the shore until it extended a good mile
beyond the galleon, where it ended abruptly against a dark blue
line showing where the sea breeze was struggling to conquer
the calm and force its way shoreward.

George now turned his attention to matters nearer at hand,
and allowed his gaze to wander over the galleon's spacious
decks. They were disgracefully dirty, speaking of the lax
discipline that had been permitted to prevail by the easy-
going officers of the ship, and he gave a sharp order which
presently brought all hands on deck, considerably refreshed,
as he could see, by even the short spell of rest which they had
enjoyed. Scrubbing brushes, mops, and buckets were searched
for and found ; and a few minutes later the decks were under-
going such a vigorous process of cleansing as they had not
known for many a day. Then, as the planking rapidly dried
in the hot rays of the sun, the baggage which the adventurers
had brought with them across the isthmus was unpacked
and, as the hour of eight boomed out from the Cathedral, St.
George's Cross was run up on the ensign staff of the galleon !
A few fishing boats were by this time returning to the harbour,
and one of these George hailed and ordered alongside. The
crew were negroes, and they gaped in open-mouthed astonish-
ment as they passed through the entry port and beheld the
decks alive with lithe, active seamen, florid-faced beneath the
bronze of their skins, and most unquestionably foreigners.
They hazarded no remarks, however, nor — to do them justice
did they exhibit any very great amount of alarm ; they were
doubtless slaves, animated by a whole-hearted hatred of their
Spanish masters, and if the truth could been have arrived at
they were probably by no means sorry to find that so fine a
ship had fallen into the hands of men who were obviously
enemies of the hated Spaniard. They took, with extravagant
thanks, the gold which George offered them, and vowed to
faithfully perform the service which the young captain
demanded of them in return, which was, first to affix, in the

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 291

most prominent position they could find in the market place, the
Proclamation which he had prepared ; and, secondly, to
deliver at the Governor's house the letter addressed to that
functionary, with which he entrusted them. Then, as soon
as the fishermen had departed, all hands except the anchor
watch went to breakfast.

Breakfast over, the sail trimmers, under the boatswain,
were sent round the decks to inspect and acquaint themselves
thoroughly with the running rigging of the galleon, some of
which was rove and led in a fashion different from that in
vogue in English ships of the time, in order that they might
know exactly where to lay their hands upon any required
halliard, sheet, tack, brail, or downhaul in the darkest
night ; and while this was being done the guns' crew, under
Barker, the gunner, carefully overhauled all the ordnance,
great and small, and satisfied themselves that every piece was
ready for immediate service. This done, the ordnance was
loaded with a full powder charge, and a considerable quantity
of shot of various kinds was sent up on deck, ready for imme-
diate use ; for George knew not how his message might be
received by the Governor, and he was determined to be
prepared for anything and everything that could possibly
happen.

While these things were being done, Dyer the pilot, for
want of something better to do, amused himself by studying
the city generally through George's perspective glass ; and
after he had done so pretty thoroughly he approached his
young captain with a suggestion.

" Cap'n," he said, "while you've been busy wi' Barker,
there, about the ordnance, I've been starin' at the town
through thicky glass o' yours, and the thought have corned to
me that if we're goin' to be obliged to bombard, we're anchored
in the wrong place. We ought to be lyin' somewhere over
there, a bit more to the east'ard, and a li'l bit closer inshore.
So far 's I can make out, there's a gurt wide street runnin'

292 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

right down to the shore yonder, just in a line wi' thicky big
white house atop of the hill ; and if we was anchored in line wi*
thicky street, our shot 'd sweep un from end to end and, unless
I be greatly mistaken, would play havoc wi' some of they big
buildin's, the tops of which you can see over t'other houses,
and which I thinks may be Gov'ment buildin's of some
sort- — ay, and I be right, too, for, look 'e there, dashed if
they ain't hoistin' the Spanish flag upon the biggest of 'em

now."
George took the glass and carefully studied the buildings

indicated by Dyer, and soon came to the conclusion that the
pilot was correct in surmising them to be Government buildings,
for as Dyer had said, there was the golden flag of Spain floating
from a flagstaff surmounting the most imposing of the group,
which was undoubtedly Government House. But why had
the flag only just now been hoisted ? Had the fact any signifi-
cance, or was it merely due to the neglect or forgetfulness of
some subordinate official ? For it was now close upon ten
o'clock, and if the flag was hoisted daily, as of course it should
be over a Government building, it ought to have been hoisted
nearly two hours ago. And it the Spaniards had grown into
the lazy habit of not hoisting it every day, why had they taken
the trouble to do so on this particular morning ? Was it done
to indicate the defiance of George's threat ? — for the latter
had no doubt that his letter had by this time reached Don

Silvio's hands.

He considered the matter for a few moments, and presently
came to the conclusion that if the hoisting of the flag was
intended to convey Don Silvio's defiance, it could do no harm
to reply to it by shifting his berth to a spot more convenient
than the present one for the purpose of a bombardment ; he
had very little doubt that the significance of the movement
would be fully understood not only by Don Silvio, but also by
the townsfolk generally ; and he held the belief that in dealing
with an antagonist it is always well to make it clear to him at

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 293

the outset that you are in deadly earnest and mean every word
you say. He had known cases where quarrels had assumed a
most serious and irreconcilable form simply because each party
had believed the other to be pretending to be more in earnest
than he really was. Therelore, since the men were now
doing nothing particular and it would be an advantage to
them to acquire a working knowledge of their new ship as
early as possible, George issued an order for the canvas to
be loosed and the cable to be hove short preparatory to getting
the galleon under way.

This was done with very commendable celerity by the men,
considering that they were quite new to the ship ; and in about
twenty minutes the great hempen cable was " up and down,"
and the sail trimmers were sent to the sheets and halliards
to sheet home and hoist away. Five minutes later the anchor
was out of the ground and the Cristobal Colon was adrift and
canting.

It was at this moment that Basset, the captain of soldiers,
who had in turn been amusing himself with George's glass,
shouted :

" Do 'e see that, Captain ? Thicky galley that we passed in
harbour last night, her be comin' out. Do *e think she'm
comin' to attack we ? "

"Maybe," answered George. "I can't tell. But whether
she be or not, we must be ready for her. For she must not be
allowed to escape. If she is not sent to attack us, she must be
going in search of assistance ; and we must not allow her to slip
past us if we can possibly help it. Let me have that glass, if
you please, and, Mr. Basset, get your men under arms forth-
with/'

Basset handed over the glass and ran down the poop ladder,
shouting as he went for the soldiers to don their armour, take
their weapons, and proceed to their several fighting stations.
Meanwhile George took the glass and carefully inspected the
galley. She was coming out under the impulse of her oars

294 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

alone, which looked very much as though she had been dis-
patched to re-take the galleon, since the wind was fair for her
out of the Gulf, and she would at once set her sail if she were
bound upon a long voyage. He saw that her forecastle was
crowded with soldiers, and that on that same forecastle she
carried a culverin round which were grouped the gun's crew,
while behind it stood the gunner with linstock in hand. Then,
looking beyond these, he descried upon the vessel's poop other
soldiers, in the midst of which stood a group of some ten or
twelve officers in complete armour, with their drawn swords in
their hands. The galley was steering as though to intercept the
galleon, which had by this time gathered way and was moving
somewhat ponderously through the water.

" She means to attack us/' muttered George to himself as he
lowered his glass from his eye. Then he flung a quick glance
round his own decks, and saw that every eye was anxiously
fixed upon him, awaiting his next order. He turned to the

helmsman.

" Keep her away a point and get good way upon her," he
ordered. " I may want to tack presently, and it will not do
for us to miss stays, with that galley watching for a chance
to dash in upon us."

Then he faced about to his crew and shouted for the gunner,
" Mr. Barker/' he said, " I am of opinion that yonder galley
intends to attack us. But if she does not, we must attack and
take her. I do not want her sunk, if it can be helped, for some
of those for whom we are seeking may be aboard her ; therefore
our endeavour must be to sweep her decks clear of soldiers ;
and in order to do that 1 will have every piece of ordnance,
both great and small, loaded with bullets, bags of nails, and any
langrage that you can most readily lay hands upon. See to
it at once, for in less than ten minutes she will be alongside.
Sail-trimmers, to your stations ! And archers, be ready to pour
in a flight of arrows at short range."

The galley, with the flag of Spain fluttering at her ensign

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 295

staff, and a banner, bearing some emblazonment which George
could not very well distinguish, streaming from her masthead,
suddenly ceased pulling, the slaves resting upon their oars and
raising the dripping blades high above the water ; and a few-
seconds later a puff of white smoke burst from her bows, the
report of her culverin boomed across the water, and the shot
flew whirring athwart the galleon's bows, striking the water
some twenty yards to leeward. Then, as George brought his
glass to bear upon her, her oars once more dipped, while the
gun's crew could be seen upon the forecastle busily engaged in
reloading their piece.

St. Leger heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank God!" he
murmured. " That shot clears up the last shred ot doubt
as to her intentions ; and now we know where we are, and

what we have to do."
The chaplain appeared at his elbow and touched him lightly

on the arm.

" She's going to fight us, isn't she, Cap'n ? " he said. " Is
it your pleasure that the crew go to prayers ? "

"To prayers?" reiterated George. "With that galley
within a quarter oi a mile of us ? There is no time tor that,
now, Sir Thomas. We shall be engaged within the next two
minutes, therefore you must e'en go to prayers on behalf of all
hands, while we do the fighting."

" I'll do both," retorted the chaplain ; " I'll pray first and
fight a'terwards ! " And therewith he removed his cap, sank
down upon his knees — those of the crew who happened to see
him also uncovering — murmured a few words, and then,
rising to his feet, calmly seized a long bow and a quiverful
of arrows, drew a shaft from the quiver, fitted it to the
string, and prepared to do his part manfully in the impending
fight.

Meanwhile those in the galley seemed somewhat undecided
as to what to do. Like the rest of her class she was fitted
at the bow with a powerful beak or ram, just level with the

296 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

surface of the water, the office of which was to pierce an
enemy's ship about the water line and so cause such a serious
leak as to effectually distract the attention of the defenders.
But in the present case there appeared to be some hesitation
with regard to the adoption of this mode of attack, and George
soon came to the conclusion that the galleon's cargo — the
nature of which he had not yet found time to investigate—
must be so enormously rich that the Spaniards were unwilling
to risk its loss by ramming her. Certainly they did not at the
moment appear to contemplate such a manoeuvre, for instead
of pulling with all their strength, in order to get good way upon
the galley, so that she might strike an effective blow, the
slaves were doing little more than just give her steerage way.
And seeing this, George suddenly determined upon a bold step.
To cross a galley's bows was, under ordinary circumstances,
simply to invite disaster, but noting the apparent hesitation of
the galley's captain, St. Leger determined to risk it in the
present case ; therefore, first signing to the helmsman to keep
the ship away a trifle more, he turned to his crew and shouted :
"Gunners, depress the muzzles of your pieces sufficiently to
sweep yonder galley's deck, and tire just so soon as you can
be sure to hit her. I am going to risk crossing her bows.
Archers, stand ready to discharge your shafts. And let the
waits play up ' Ye gallant sons of Devon/ If so be that there
are any English among the galley slaves, 't will hearten the
poor souls up a bit to know that some of their own countrymen
be close at hand."

And therewith the waits some half a dozen instrumentalists
■launched forth with an air that was at that time as familiar
to every Devon man as his own name, though it is nearly if
not quite forgotten now. Ten seconds later, every man on the
galleon's decks, from George downward, was shouting the fine
old song at the top of his voice, the melody going far out
over the water and causing the haughty Dons on the galley's
poop to stare in amazement.

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 297

Almost at the same instant the galley's culverin spoke
again. This time the piece was aimed to hit, and it did so,
piercing the galleon's larboard poop bulwark and passing so
close to George's head that he distinctly felt the wind of it,
while a big splinter from the bulwark not only knocked off
his steel headpiece, but also scored his scalp so shrewdly that
in a moment he was almost blinded by the blood that streamed
down into his eyes. The force of the blow caused him to
stagger for a moment, and three or four men stationed at the
smaller ordnance on the poop rushed toward him, fearing
that he was badly hurt. But with a smile he ordered them
back to their stations as he wiped the blood out of his eyes
with his kerchief, and the next instant a loud twanging of
bowstrings told that the archers had got to work. A final
glance at the galley showed George that her oarsmen were still
pulling slow and that there was ample room for the galleon to
cross her bows ; he therefore signed to the helmsman and the
great ship went surging past, while her ordnance, great and
small, belched forth a perfect tornado of bullets, nails, jagged
fragments of iron and what not upon the deck of the devoted
craft. When the smoke cleared away it was seen that the
oars were drooping motionless in the water, and that of all that
great crowd who a moment earlier stood upon her deck,
scarcely a paltry dozen still remained upright. That terrific
storm of missiles had most effectually done its work.

On the after deck but one solitary officer, clad in a complete
suit of splendid armour, and with the hilt of his broken sword
in his hand, stood among a heap of slain, and, seeing him,
George sprang up on the rail ol the galleon and hailed

him :

"Do you surrender, senor, a buena guerra?" he

demanded.

" What else can I do, senor, seeing that you have slain the
whole of my crew with your infernal broadside ? " he de-
manded. " Yes, senor/' he continued, " I surrender the

298 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

am

humiliation by becoming your prisoner."

And therewith he calmly walked to the side of the galley
and deliberately sprang overboard, sinking instantly, of course.

CHAPTER XVIII

How George Found His Brother.

" So much for Spanish pride ! " muttered George to himself
as he gazed thoughtfully at the little ring of foam and the
few bubbles which alone marked the spot where the officer
had disappeared Then he stepped down off the rail and gave
orders for the galleon to be hove to.

Next came the order to " Out boats " ; and when four of
them had been lowered and brought to the gangway, George
instructed Basset to take command of one, the boatswain of

another, the armourer of the third, and announced his inten-
tion to himself command the fourth, leaving Dyer, the pilot,
in temporary command of the ship. Every man told off to
go in the boats of course went armed to the teeth, for the
galley slaves were known to be, as a rule, desperate characters,
and George was already beginning to feel not a little puzzled
as to how he was to deal with this batch, now that he had them.

A few strokes of the oars sufficed to carry the boats along-
side the galley, the long sweeps of which had meanwhile been
laid in, and in another moment the Englishmen had scrambled
up the craft's low sides and stood upon her deck.

She was a vessel of about forty tons measurement, very
long and shallow in proportion to her beam, with full deck
forward and aft, and narrow washboards on either side con-
necting the two, the remainder of her being open, the'open
portion protected from the sea by coamings all round about
a foot high. And down in this open portion of the vessel
were the galley slaves, naked as the day they were born, and

299

3 oo THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH'*

each chained to the bench upon which he sat. A gang plank
ran fore and aft of this space along the centre line of the ship,
for the accommodation of the boatswains, usually two in
number, whose duty it was to continually walk fore and aft,
while the ship was under way, keeping a watchful eye upon
the slaves, and stimulating them to exert themselves to the
utmost, when working the sweeps, by free and unmerciful
application of the whip to their naked bodies. The slaves
were kept chained to their benches for days, and often for
weeks, at a time ; they toiled, ate, drank, and slept thus
chained ; and their condition and that of the interior which
contained them may therefore be left to the imagination of
the reader.

A moment's glance along the galley's deck sufficed to reveal
to the Englishmen the devastating effect which that single
broadside of langrage had wrought upon the unfortunate
craft's crew. It had been fired at such close range that the
missiles had only spread just sufficiently to include the entire
range of the deck in its destructive sweep, and as the new
arrivals gazed in amazement at the deep scores ploughed in
the deck planking by the storm of iron and lead, running in
a general direction fore and aft, and so close together that in
some cases it was scarcely possible to lay a finger between
them, the wonder was not that so many of the crew had been
smitten down, but that there were any survivals at all. A
glance down into the well, however, revealed the fact that the
slaves, seated well below the level of the deck, and further
protected by the stout coamings, had escaped almost scot-free.

Hastily directing Basset to see to the securing of the few
unhurt prisoners, and to separate the wounded from the dead,
George ran along the washboard to the after deck and from
this descended by a short flight of steps to the gang plank
running fore and aft the length of the well.

" Are there any Englishmen aboard this galley ? " he
demanded.

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 301

" Ay, that there be ; eleven of us— or was, avore you fired
upon us/' answered a voice. " I'm afeared you've a-killed
one or two of us down here, but what do that matter so long
as you've a corned to deliver the rest of us out of this here
floatin' hell, as, thanks be to bod Almighty, you have, I do
suppose."

" You are right, lad, we have," answered George, cheerily.
"' And who may you be ? " he continued, a slight twang of his
Devonshire dialect creeping into his speech in his excitement.

a

}>

I ? Why I be Joe Cary, to Plymouth ; and I was took
a year ago at San Juan de Ulua, along wi' some others, when
we put in there, under Admiral Hawkins, to refit. We' v

" Tell me, quick, man/ 7 interrupted George. *' Do you
know anything of the whereabouts of a Mr. Hubert St. Leger,
who was with Captain Drake in that affair ? "

" Do I know anything about Mr. St. Leger ? " repeated
Cary. "Ay, sure I do. Why, he's one o' us here aboard
this galley. 'T was he that — Hi ! Mr. St. Leger — Mr. St.
Leger — what's come to 'e ? Here be a vine brave Devonshire
lad askin' about 'e. He's for'ard, sir, on the larboard side,
the fourth bench ahead o' this here one that I be sittin' on."

There was no response to Cary's call, so George quickly
turned and, striding along the gang plank, reached the fourth
bench, upon which sat three men, the middle one of which
was supporting the senseless form of his neighbour nearest
the gang plank. Peering down, in the semi-darkness, George
beheld in the senseless one a lean, muscular figure, his naked
body brown with long exposure to the sun and weather,
covered, as were the rest, with a growth of short hairs and,
also as were the rest, with innumerable long cicatrices, some
white and evidently the result of wounds inflicted long ago,
but most of them of comparatively recent date, showing how
mercilessly the boatswains were in the habit of plying their
whips. But in the case of the man whom George was then
gazing upon, those more or less ancient scars were almost

3 02 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH

If

obliterated by the blood which was still oozing from some
thirty or more long slashes across the back, shoulders, loins
and arms of the senseless one, whose features were almost
hidden by a great, unkempt black beard and moustache
already touched with grey, as was the touzled mop of black
hair upon his head. Yet. through it all, as George's eyes
grew accustomed to the twilight gloom of the place, he was
able to recognise the features of his brother Hubert, obscured
as they were with hair, dirt, and sweat.

" Is he dead ? " he demanded of the man who was supporting
him.

" Nay, senor, I think not/' answered the man. " I believe
he has but swooned under the merciless flogging inflicted by
that demon yonder, whom your shot have slain and so per-
chance saved from a better merited death/'

" And why did he flog this man so mercilessly ? " demanded
George in a tone of terrible calmness.

" Because," answered the man, " it was Hubert, here, who,
when he heard the music from your ship, shouted to us that
you were English, and that, if we would stop rowing, you
would take the galley and set us all lree. J '

George raised his head above the combing and shouted to
the armourer : " Miles, come down here at once with your
hammer and chisel. There is a man here — several men—
whom I wish to release from their fetters."

" Senor/' interposed the man who was supporting Hubert's
senseless form, and who seemed to guess what George required,
" if you will feel in the pocket of that dead boatswain's doublet,
you will find the key to unlock our chains."

" Thanks," responded George as he bent over the dead
boatswain ; and a minute later he had unlocked the chain
which confined his brother's body to the bench, and was
calling to another man to help him to carry it up on
deck.

" Senor — senor, are you not going to release us also ? "

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 303

demanded Hubert's comrade, as George turned away to arrange
for the dispatch of his brother to the galleon .
" In good time, amigo, in good time/' answered George. " A

little patience is all you now need. I will return to you later/'
With infinite care Hubert's body was lowered into a boat
and dispatched to the galleon, with an imperative order from
George to the surgeon to treat his patient gently and do his
utmost for him. Then the young captain proceeded to release
the remaining Englishmen and send them also aboard the
galleon to be cared for.

And next came the question of what was to be done with
the galley slaves and the galley. It was a knotty question
to decide, for here were a hundred and-eighty men, many of
whom were no doubt criminals and desperados of the very
worst type ; to release whom and turn them loose upon society
involved a tremendous responsibility. Yet after even the
cursory glimpse that George had caught of the life of a galley
slave, he could not bring himself to hand over those men to
the tender mercies of the Spaniards and so in all probability
insure for them a continuance of life in what Cary had graphi-
cally described as a floating hell, which was a punishment
infinitely worse than death, and far too severe for even the
most atrocious crimes. George called Basset to his aid in
the consideration of this momentous question ; and finally,
at the suggestion of the latter, he descended again to the
ship's interior and sought the man who had been Hubert's
companion on the bench.

"Friend," said he, "you asked me, a little while ago, to
release you. It I were to do so, what would you and your
comrades do with yourselves ? "

il It is just what Pedro and I "• — indicating his companion
upon the bench — "have been discussing together, senor,"
answered the man.

"Well," said George, "have you arrived at any decision
upon the matter ? "

3 04 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

" Yes, senor, we have," was the reply. " We have decided
that, even were you willing to give us the galley, we could not
keep the sea very long, because none of us understand the
navigation of a ship, and our provisions would soon run short ;
moreover, galleys will only sail before the wind, and we have
had enough of rowing to last us for the rest of our lives. On
the other hand, we are all outlaws, and if we were to land on
the mainland we should be hunted down and killed, sooner 'or
later, or, worse still, taken and condemned to the galleys
afresh. But outside the Gulf, some two hundred miles or
more to the westward, there is a certain uninhabited island,
at which this galley has often called for water. It is large
enough to support four or five times our number, and although
none of us are navigators we could easily find it by simply
following the coast line. Its soil is rich, there are abundant
fruit trees upon it, and plenty of water ; we could easily sup-
port ourselves in comfort there, senor; and Pedro and I
think that if you will graciously release us and give us the
galley, we could do no better than go there and settle down
upon it."

The rest of the galley slaves had been listening eagerly to
what was being said, as George could easily see ; the scheme
commended itself to him as an excellent one in itself, more-
over it pointed a way out of the double difficulty of how to
get rid of the slaves and the galley ; he therefore appealed
to the listening crowd by saying to them :

" You have all heard your comrade's plan. Are you
willing to fall in with it ? "

" bi, senor ; st, st. Mille gyacias," replied the slaves, with
such perfect unanimity that the young man no longer hesitated.

" So be it," he said. Then, turning to one of the men who
was with him, he directed him to release the Spaniard on the
bench, and, having done that, to hand him the keys that he
might release his comrades ; after which he ordered the
prisoners, wounded and unwounded, to be passed down into

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 305

the boats, which done, the victors pulled away for the galleon.
But they were scarcely alongside when the galley's sweeps
were thrust outboard and the craft was under way again,
heading south, with one of the slaves proudly standing at the
tiller and leading an enthusiastic cheer as the galley swept
at speed close under the towering stern of the galleon.

George's first act, upon returning to the galleon, was to
direct Dyer to take the ship to the spot for which they had
been aiming when they were intercepted by the galley, and
anchor her there ; then he descended to the sick bay, to find
that under Chichester's skilled hands his brother had not only
been revived from his swoon, but also that his terrible wounds
had been bathed, treated with a soothing and healing oint-
ment, bound up, and the patient made as comfortable as was
possible upon a swinging pallet which the surgeon had caused
to be rigged up in order that Hubert might not be disturbed
by the motion of the ship, and might lie face down for a few
days until the smart had gone out of his wounds and they
had begun to heal.

George was greatly affected at the sight of his brother
lying there stretched out upon the pallet, with his head resting
upon a pillow supported by his arms, and unable to move his
body in the least without suffering excruciating agony. But,
terrible as Hubert's plight was, he still had spirit enough to
make light of it when his brother, kneeling down by the side
of the pallet, bent over him and tenderly kissed him on the
brow. He smiled happily up into George's face and, with
an effort that must have been torment to him, freed his right
hand and grasped that of his brother as he murmured :

" You only fired that broadside just in time to save me, old
chap. Another half minute, and that fiend of a boatswain
would have killed me. I won t ask you now how you hap-
pened to find me, that must wait until you have more time
to talk and I more strength to listen ; moreover, that splendid
fellow Chichester has been telling me a bit of the story while

17

3 o6 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

he was dressing my wounds. But one thing you must tell
me, Georgie. How is the dear mother ? "

The fact that George had nothing but good news to com-
municate to his brother seemed to cheer the latter amazingly,
and caused him to so far forget his fearful injuries that he
went on asking question after question until Chichester felt
constrained to intervene and imperatively insist that the young
captain should go on deck and leave his brother to get a little

urgently needed rest.
As George ascended to the poop, almost dazed with the

good fortune which had enabled him to so unexpectedly
deliver his brother from a Hie that was one long torment,
his ears were greeted with the cries of the mariners shortening
sail ; and a few minutes later the galleon's anchor was dropped
in the new berth for which the ship had been making, The
sails were furled, the decks cleared up, ropes coiled down,
and every preparation made for the expected visit of the
Governor, And shortly afterward a large boat, pulling twelve
oars, with an awning spread over the stern sheets, and with
the Spanish flag floating from an ensign staff set up in the
stern, was seen coming out ol the harbour and heading toward
the Cristobal Colon.

Twenty minutes later she ranged up alongside, and a party
of ten Spaniards, dressed most extravagantly in the height of
the prevailing mode, proceeded to climb with more or less
difficulty the lofty side of the galleon, where, as they passed
in through the entry port, they were received by George at
the head of his officers. The contrast in appearance between
these popinjays, arrayed in silks and satins of the most costly
description, with splendid jewels round their necks, on their
fingers, and in their ears, their oiled, curled, and perfumed
locks surmounted by jaunty lit tie caps of silk or velvet decorated
with beautiful feathers secured in place by gem-set brooches,
and the sturdy Devon lads, attired mostly in perfectly plain
armour not altogether guiltless of rust, beneath which showed

If

a

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 307

their well-worn clothing, was a striking one indeed, but there
was a stern, businesslike look on the faces of the Englishmen
that promptly checked any disposition to sneer on the part
of the Spaniards.

The visitors were of course received with every manifestation
of the most elaborate courtesy on the part of the English,
and there was a tremendous amount of bowing and scraping
on the galleon's quarter-deck before even a word was spoken.
Presently, however, a tall, dark Spaniard, of about forty
years of age, his handsome features marked with an expression
of considerable resolution, stepped forward and said, with a
bow :

" Senores, I am the Governor of Panama. Who among
you is Sehor George St. Leger ?

I am he, at Your Excellency's service/' answered George,
with a corresponding bow.

" You?" ejaculated the Governor, incredulously. "Why,
you are only a boy. Where is your leader ? It is he with whom
my present business is concerned."

" Your Excellency/' responded George, " I have the honour
to be the captain of the company you see about you."

"Ten thousand pardons, sehor ! " exclaimed the Governor,
bowing low. " I trust that you will magnanimously forgive
my hasty expression of surprise. I ought to have remembered
that in your gallant nation age does not necessarily count, and
that among you are many very young men who are doing
work that fills us of maturer years with astonishment, admira-
tion and envy. Again I crave your pardon for my exceedingly
stupid mistake. It is you, then, senor, who addressed this
letter to me ? " And he drew forth from a wallet at his belt
George's letter to him.

" Even so, Your Excellency/' acknowledged George.
" And in it you say that you wish to treat with me for the
release of seventeen Englishmen sent here as prisoners from
Nombre de Dios. Very well, sehor ; I am prepared to treat

368 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH"

with you upon that matter ; but it must be upon certain
conditions. And the first of those conditions is that you
unconditionally surrender this ship to her captain and officers,
whom I have brought with me in order that they may receive
her at your hands."

" Your Excellency, the condition you name is an impossible
one, not to be considered for an instant. Let us dismiss it,

and pass on to the next, if there be a next/' answered George

calmly.

"Next?" reiterated the Governor, a trifle tartly, "of
course there is a next — several of them, indeed. But it is
useless to speak of them until this, perhaps the most important
of them all, is settled. Upon what grounds do you assert that
my first condition is impossible, senor ? You have secured
possession of her by craft and in a manner which, if I may be
permitted to say so, amounts simply to piracy. Our countries
are not at war, senor. Then by what right do you seize a
Spanish ship and, worse still, refuse to surrender her to her
lawful owners, the representatives of His Most Catholic
Majesty of Spain ? "

<* A L f *J

Ah ! " returned George, with a great appearance of
simplicity, " now there Your Excellency puzzles me. I can't
exactly tell you by what right I do this, and have done a good
many other things on the north side of the isthmus; but it is
by the same right that justified Don Martin Enriquez, His Most
Catholic Majesty's Viceroy of Mexico, when he attacked the
fleet of Admiral Hawkins while he was refitting his ships in
the harbour of San Juan de Ulua, last year."

.For a few moments the Governor looked — and was
decidedly " taken aback." He could find no satisfactory
reply to George's argument, for the sufficient reason that none
such existed. But presently he pulled himself together and
said :

" The occurrence to which you have referred, senor, was a
most deplorable blunder on the Viceroy's part ; but I had

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 309

no hand in it, and I must refuse to be held responsible for it.
You must yourself surely admit that it would be unjust
in the extreme to make me answerable for the actions of a man
over whom I have no control whatever.*' 1

" Oh, yes/' retorted George, " I quite admit that ; and it
is not in your personal capacity, but merely as a Spaniard,
that I am holding you and all Spaniards responsible for that
outrage. And I hold Spaniards generally responsible for it,
senor, for the reason that no attempt has been made by any
Spaniard to right the wrong that was done. Yourself, for
example, when invited to do what you could to rectify the
matter, as far as might be, by releasing seventeen Englishmen
unlawfully captured during the commission of the ' blunder/
curtly refused to take any steps whatever. Hence my presence
here, and my capture of this ship. Need I say any more ? "

It was necessary for George to say a great deal more before
he succeeded in bringing the stiff necked Don to reason, and
in the process of doing so he told His Excellency a few home
truths that first sent that functionary into a towering passion
and then turned him sick with fear ; but at length Don Silvio
was brought to see the futility of kicking against the pricks,
and finally he gave in with a good grace, the more readily
when he learned that eleven out of the seventeen men de-
manded had already been taken out of the captured galley j
he agreed with George that it was scarcely worth while to
expose a number of important cities to the horrors of bom-
bardment and valuable ships to the risk of capture for the
sake of detaining half a dozen Englishmen in captivity ; he
therefore at length struck a bargain with the relentless young
captain that, in consideration of the latter undertaking to
abstain from further molestation of Spanish life and property,
he, the Governor of Panama,would forthwith take the necessary
steps to have the six Englishmen, or as many of them as
happened to be still alive, immediately released and handed
over to their own countrymen, signing a document to that

310 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

effect. This document, drafted by George, with the assistance
of Basset, and young Heard, the purser, was quite an elaborate
affair, providing for many things, the first of which was the
retention of the Cristobal Colon and her cargo by her captors ;
second, that during the period of waiting for the release of the
six Englishmen the authorities of Panama were to daily supply
the ship with meat, vegetables and fruit in sufficient quantities
for the requirements of the crew ; third, that if it should be
found that any of the six Englishmen had succumbed to the
hardships incidental to their life as gslley slaves, the sum of
ten thousand ducats was to be paid upon each man missing,
as compensation to his relatives. There were several other
clauses in the agreement, all providing against anything m
the nature of treachery on the part of the Spaniards, and to
these Don Silvio objected most strenuously, on the ground
that they were an insult to the honour of every Spaniard ;
but George insisted upon their retention, bluntly stating that,
after the example which had been set by His Excellency
the Viceroy of Mexico, it was impossible for any Englishman
to rely upon any Spaniard's honour. And in return for all
this the Englishmen agreed to observe a strict truce for six
weeks. The reading of the drait was followed by a tremendous
amount of talk and numerous protests, in response to which
the stringency of a few of the clauses was somewhat modified,
and finally the two fair copies of the agreement were signed
there and then, first by the Governor and George as the two
contracting parties, and afterwards by the Spanish and
English officers as witnesses.

Ihis done, the visitors were entertained on board the
galleon to an impromptu luncheon, which, as it was prepared
by the Spanish cook, released irom the limbo of below for the
occasion, and as the viands and wines were drawn from the
ship's stores, was done ample justice to. Then George, accom-
panied by Basset, went ashoie with the Governor and his
followers, to be present at an investigation which was to

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 311

determine the whereabouts of the six Englishmen whose
release was in question, and who were ultimately found to
have been drafted to a galley named the Tiburon, which,
after considerable further research, was discovered to be then
stationed at Port Lima. The next business was the preparation
of an order to the Governor of Lima to immediately release
the six Englishmen " named in the margin " and return them
to Panama without delay ; and before returning to the ship
George had the satisfaction of witnessing the departure of a
dispatch boat with the order on board.

On the following day the Spanish crew of the Cristobal Colon
were released and sent on shore ; and, this done, all tension
between the Spaniards and the English was immediately
relaxed, the Spaniards, with their high-flown ideas of chivalry,
vying with each other in showing the utmost cordiality and
attention to their whilom enemies ; so that, on the whole,
George and his officers, to say nothing of the men, were given
a fairly pleasant time during their sojourn at Panama, in
return for which they, among other things, assisted materia]ly
to extinguish a fire which one night broke out in the city and,
for a time, threatened to lay the greater part of it in ashes.

Finally, on the twenty-seventh day after her departure,
the dispatch boat returned from Port Lima, bringing with her
the six Englishmen, safe and sound, but of course in a some-
what broken condition from their dreadful experiences on board
the Tiburon ; and thus George St. Leger at length triumphantly
accomplished all that he had undertaken to do when he set
out upon his adventurous voyage.

By this time Hubert St. Leger had sufficiently recovered
from his terrible injuries to be able to rise and dress without
assistance, while all the other rescued English were doing
well, their only desire now being to return home to their
relatives and friends as soon as possible. Therefore, there
now being nothing to longer detain them at Panama, on the
day after the return of the dispatch boat and the formal

312 THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH"

surrender of the six Englishmen, George and his officers bade
farewell to the city and its inhabitants, and weighed anchor
for the south, glad enough to escape to the pure breezes of
the sea once more.

The Cnstobal Colon proved to be a somewhat dull sailer,
nevertheless the adventurers made good progress down the
western seaboard of South America, the voyage being wholly
uneventful save for the usual experiences of mariners, and,
missing the Straits of Magellan, the galleon rounded the Horn
in the embrace of a blustering westerly gale, on the forty-
third day after their departure from Panama, by which time
all the invalids were perfectly recovered and not only fit but
eager for duty. True, the weather which they encountered
during the fortnight that they were in the neighbourhood of
Cape Horn proved rather trying to all hands, accustomed
as they had now become to the enervating climate of the
tropics, but it was by this time early summer in the southern
hemisphere, and although the air was keen it was also bracing,
and Chichester, the surgeon, stoutly maintained that a taste
of it was all that was needed to set everybody perfectly right.

Then followed the long weary drag up the eastern coast of
South America, and everybody was rejoiced when, on a certain
glorious morning of the last month of the year, they rounded
the north eastern angle of the continent — now known as Cape
San Roque — and bore away to the westward for the creek
where the Nonsuch still — as they hoped — lay securely hidden.
And at this point in the voyage they were exceptionally
favoured by the elements, for they accomplished their second
passage of the Line without a minute's delay from calms.
On the last day of the year they sailed past Trinidad, joyfully
recognising its lofty heights and its three distinct entrances to
the gulf as they passed ; and on the evening of January
15th, 1570, they entered the hidden harbour near Nombre,
where they had left the Nonsuch, and found her apparently
not a penny the worse for her five months' sojourn there.

THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" 313

For Lukabela, the Cimarrone chief, had so scrupulously
fulfilled his promise to look after the ship that a party of
twenty men had been camped on the beach for the past five
months, and had every day visited her and thoroughly soused

her deck and upper woiks with water.

Immediately upon the arrival of the Cristobal Colon in the
cove, a messenger was dispatched to Lukabela with the news ;
and within a couple of hours he appeared on board to personally
welcome his friends upon their return. George at once con-
cluded an arrangement with the chief for the supply of a strong
gang of men to assist in refitting the Nonsuch ; and on the
following day the work was energetically begun, and so

btrenuously carried forward that ten days later the vessel

was ready for sea. All that now remained was to suitably
reward the Cimarrones for their services, and this George did
upon so lavish a scale that Lukabela there and then vowed to
hold himself and his tribe henceforth at the service of any
and every Englishman who might visit those waters. The
Englishmen were then divided into two parties proportionate
to the tonnage of the ships, George resuming the command of

the Nonsuch, while he put Hubert — now completely recovered,

and a strong, robust, handsome man once more — in command
of the galleon. This made both ships very short-handed, but
it was the only arrangement possible, for during their voyage
round from Panama the cargo of the galleon had been over-
hauled, and found to be so enormously rich, and of such great
bulk, that it was deemed unwise to entrust it and the rest of
the treasure to a single ship ; therefore on a certain glorious
January morning all hands went to work to unmoor both
ships, and by mid-day they were clear of the cove and heading
north for the treasure island, which they reached five days
later. But during that five days' voyage it had become so
clear to all that both ships must be thoroughly cleared of
weed before the voyage across the Atlantic was undertaken,
that they decided to careen them before proceeding further.

314 THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH "

This was accordingly done, the work occupying all hands for
three months ; but when it was done both craft were fit
in every respect to battle with the spring gales which they
knew awaited them.

Finally, they sailed from the treasure island on the fifth
day of May, 1570, and working their way to the north-east
between the islands of Cuba and San Domingo, hit the Gulf
Stream, which swept them to windward as they struggled
northward against the north-east trade wind. This proved
to be the most tedious and wearisome part of their passage ;
for upon clearing the trades they were fortunate enough to
run into a succession of strong westerly winds, before which
they went foaming and rolling across the Atlantic at a merry
rate, arriving in Plymouth Sound within two hours of each
other, on the afternoon of the twenty-seventh of July, 1570,
to the joy of everybody concerned, after an absence from
home of just over fifteen months.

The partition of the treasure was immediately proceeded
with ; and so enormous was its amount that even the lowest
grade of mariner received sufficient to render him independent
in a modest way for the remainder of his life, while as for
George, he was — after old Simon Radlett, the owner of the
Nonsuch — easily the richest man in all Plymouth, his share
being sufficient not only for his own needs but also for those
of his brother Hubert, with whom he insisted upon an equal
division, despite the energetic and long-continued protests
of the elder brother.

For a time there was a possibility that George's exploits on
the Spanish Main and at Panama might involve him in serious
trouble with the Queen ; indeed he and old Simon Radlett
were summoned to London to give an account of themselves.
Luckily, however, for them, the Catholics were at the moment
making themselves obnoxious in the matter of conspiracies in
favour of Mary, Queen of Scots, while Philip of Spain was also
out of Elizabeth's favour ; consequently Her Majesty was just

THE CRUISE OF THE " NONSUCH " 315

in the right mood to be favourably impressed by the straight-
forward story which George had to tell ; and his account of
the doings of the Inquisition at San Juan de Ulua, and the
atrocities practised upon the galley slave prisoners, as witnessed
by himself, excited such lively sympathy in the Queen's
breast that, instead of sending them to the Tower, as they at
one time more than half expected, she knighted them both
and sent them back to Plymouth happy in the full assurance
of her most gracious favour.

The End

Wyman & Sons Ltd., Prrnttrs t London and heading.

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